Mary P & Me 2 Part One
by Patricia Creamer
Summary: 3 Months past and SHES BACK,& not a moment too soon! Selena's stressed out by their dad's new girl untrustworthy ,Music Contest & her cousins friend could love her! Things start to get rocky with Mary & Selena as the secret drives them against each other!
1. Author's NoteProlouge

**Author's Note:**

Before we start there is something we need to understand, we need to make sure we are on the same page. If we don't then the things that happen may confuse you greatly and not make much sense!

The thing is, and this is going to sound completely strange and ridiculous, that some of the things we "know" to be pretend, imaginary and fake are actually real. I personally have seen some of these things, nowhere near all but a faint glimpse of what is out there hidden from modern society. I have seen things that could never happen, I have seen things and objects reveal to be alive and almost human (beyond human actually, more god like sometimes). I have seen another's heart, mind and soul on several occasions and can look back whenever I wish.

Most importantly, I have met people, people thought to be fantasy. I have talked with them, lived with them and even saved by them (sometimes they cause it, but that doesn't matter right now.)

Let's backtrack before you get confused, it all started almost a year ago in about 2 months. I was like all of you, I didn't believe in things like magic and miracles. The most magical thing in my life was the fact that me and my sister hadn't sent my father into an insane asylum yet! I mean we had been pretty awful; we always got into trouble (in my case sometimes with the law…) and were pretty bratty. Then things changed. She came and fixed it all, I guess you could say. Then again, when you look at it this way, we fixed her too in the process. We were all broken, it's just one of us wouldn't admit it (Not Me!). But by the end of they year we were all better. It wasn't a family member, or maybe my dad's girlfriend/fiancé, we didn't even know her until she was hired (Ok, that's not entirely true, I had met her once, but I don't think it should count when it's only a few hours after being born.). But I can guarantee that you won't believe me at first.

How do I say this? Well, growing up we are introduced to an array of characters like Winnie the Pooh, Snow-White, The Little Mermaid, Woody & Buzz, the works…

So if that's the case for you then you most likely have at least heard of this person. So I guess I cannot beat around the bush any longer, So I'll Just say it, Has anybody ever heard of Mary Poppins? Most likely, but there is a good chance that you don't remember the story well. That's okay, because we don't need to know THAT story for mine. So unless you are COMPLETELY stupid you probably understand what I'm getting at. So yeah, that person was THE nanny. The one everyone knows. It's kinda strange to think about it that way. It certainly came as a shock to us when we found out (Us being me and my sister). But no matter HOW unbelievable it is, that still doesn't take away from the fact that it is 100% true!

Now it's been almost two years since then. We have changed a hell of a lot since she first arrived and left, and even more the second time. Those of you who have followed along my blogs at . know all about that first time, but now it's time to share the adventures of the Second Appearance. If you never read the first one, you may want to… but you don't need to because everything you need to know will be explained.

~ S.A.B.

**The Part of the Story in the beginning where I try to lure you into the story and make it sound interesting and get you to read the rest, but usually just is pretty vague and confusing so the only reason you finish reading is to make sense of it.**

_Otherwise known as the:_

**Prologue**

It has been 7 days since she left us again.

It has been 7 nights since she put us to bed.

But, it has been 3 days since My Dad Learned Everything

3 Days since We Openly Discussed Her.

2 Days since she came up in conversation casually.

2 Days Since I started writing this all down.

1 Day since I Finished writing

1 Minute Since I Started Writing the List

And no time has passed since the last time we thought about her, missed her and wished she could stay.

Lists help me sort out things sometimes. This isn't one of those times though.

I lived it all, wrote it down and have recited it numerously these past few days and even I don't understand the things that happened. So I'll make another list to help shed some light… maybe…

I almost died twice

I fought with Marianna too many times to count

I was grounded BECAUSE of Marianna 15 times

I won 1 recording contract

I was almost murdered once

I wrote 15 songs

I got 1 boyfriend

My dad got one fiancé

My dad arrested one fiancé

My Grandma kept us in check daily

My Dad/Marianna overreacted about 5 times

I reunited with 1 cousin

I had (Unknown amount) of Adventures/Experiences

Nope, still can't process it. It is strange because when it happened I didn't question it. But looking back at everything makes me confused and unable to make sense out of it. It's all Marianna's fault.

Marianna and her stupid bird. (Ok, maybe it wasn't the **Bird's** fault completely… but he DID add to the trouble… we'll discuss this later…) Still, Marianna was to blame… wasn't she? I mean she's the one who had me do all that stuff, and made me lie and cover up for her all the time. I was the one who always got punished.

But then again, it was my choice to lie and cover up for her. I didn't have to after all. And Maybe it wouldn't have gotten so out of hand if I hadn't let my unhappiness boil up inside of me. Then I also got my priorities mixed up and let things go out of control… Still, she shouldn't have asked me to do this stuff. But then, I should have told her I didn't like it as well.

Maybe it's not any of our faults; the obvious blame goes to Tamara clearly. God just typing that name freaks the hell out of me now. I mean she did kidnap, drug, attempt to murder, and try to steal our money. So maybe we should blame everything on her!

Still is that really fair, (I know I'm trying to be fair to a murder… crazy right?) we chose to be ignorant for so long. We didn't say anything to dad or share concerns. Plus, it technically is my and Marianna's fault that she was able to do this stuff in the first place. We made it easy to turn us against each other.

So is it really mine and Marianna's fault after all? If that is the right the answer, why don't I still understand? Maybe it's Dad's fault. It's easy to blame parents I find. Dad should have been more aware of the happenings in his house, he also should have known by know that Marianna would NEVER do anything (intentionally!) to hurt us. (Because she has caused me plenty of pain and frequent hospital trips before). He should have known that something wasn't right with Christianna. He should have thought things through and realized that in no possible way would I have been able to cause any of the things that happened which I was punished for.

God, he should have been able to put the pieces together! I thought he'd seen the movie, she should have been like "Wait, that seems familiar…"( I wasn't like that when I first learned about her because I hadn't ever seen it before that time).

I know Christianna and Grandmother are innocent, mostly. I mean, Chrissy shouldn't have been so easy to have betray us and Grandmother could have made a lot of things easier if she had told us that she knew.

Maybe nobody's innocent and nobody completely to blame. Maybe we are all apart of what happened and we all acted equally in the chaos that unfolded. We were all equal parts of it.

Maybe…

Maybe it's not my place to put blame on somebody and decide their innocence. Maybe I have no right to. Maybe you, the reader will have to decide for yourself who is to blame or if any of us are to blame.

I suppose the best place to start is at the beginning. Not of summer, but the day when it all began.

Almost 9 months ago.

Last week of august, Chrissy and I were at home that day because daddy had made us finish (and by finish he meant start) unpacking our new room in the nursery of #17 Cherry-Tree Lane…


	2. The Part We Meet The Characters

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter One:**

_**The Part of the book where we meet our main characters and the story begins.**_

…"Chrissy, let go now!" I said angrily, tugging on one end of a pillowcase as Christianna pulled on the other end.

Christianna pulled harder. "No, it's mine Selena!" she answered back to me, also very angry. Christianna gave it a quick sharp tug, attempting to catch me off guard and win the tug-o-war over bedding.

I felt my footing start to falter so I tightened my grip and pulled even harder than Chrissy trying to jerk it from my half-sister's grasp. "No Chrissy! You already have two, this is MINE!"

This is what we were like, ever since we moved here at the end of June. It was now the end of July and we had been told by our father, Jeffrey Simon Banks to unpack our room and move in to it. I, Selena Abigail Banks had always shared a room with my half-sister Christianna Wendy Forrest-Simon, since Chrissy had been born. The only problem was that we had grown up very…'privileged' and our OLD room back in New York was the size of a gymnasium (not including the bath, guest room and closets). Now we had a new room and don't get me wrong it was nice and spacious… we were just used to BIGGER!

I, Selena (aka, Selly or Selene) was turning 16 in a few months; I had recently changed my medium-long, somewhat straight, brown tresses for a newer shorter, somewhat straight red hair. It was currently bobby pinned back and topped with a yellow headband. I am musically gifted and play both keyboard and guitar. I am very independent, sarcastic but still pleasant and always spoke my mind.

Christianna (also known as Chrissy) had just turned nine and was ultra proud of that. She was tall for her age and sported blonde-brunette hair (common called 'Dirty Blonde', she hated). My half sister was academically advanced and went to a special 'brainiac' school because of that.

Often we were best friends, got along great and never had any problems. Now we were 'cramped' fighting over who owned what pillowcase. Which reminds me, is still going on. We pulled on each end fiercely as our dad Jeffrey Simon-Banks stepped into the doorway.

Me and my dad are from London originally, I was product of his first marriage to Abigail Jane Banks. Abigail, my mom had died tragically December 7th of my 8th year in a car accident. After she died we moved to New York where we met Wife Number Two, named Wendy Forrest. But Wendy was suffering from cancer and died shortly after Chrissy was born. Years later, and many, MANY strange events later we decided to move back to London at the end of the year.

"What's going on here?" Jeffrey demanded. I and Christianna stopped at the sound of his voice. After we stopped, our grip loosened and I quickly tugged away from Chrissy.

"Nothin- Hey!" she cried as the pillowcase left her hands and came to me. "Give it back!"

"No, it's MINE!" I snapped bitterly.

Jeffrey covered his face stressfully. "Girls, PLEASE. Can't you get along?" he pleaded to us. "Give Selly the pillowcase Chrissy, Okay?"

"But it's MINE!" Christianna complained to our dad as he pointed to her bed correspondingly, pointing out that HER pillowcases were already present! "Oh, sorry Selena." She murmured quietly, embarrassed. Then she looked up at my or more correctly my hair band. "Why are you wearing MY headband?" she demanded.

"It's NOT yours. Yours is Neon Yellow and mine is Lemon Yellow. Total Difference!" I said as Chrissy climbed up on a box behind me to examine the yellow-ness of the hair band I was wearing. I guess she disagreed with me because she jumped on my back to snatch the hair band off my head. "OW! Get off!" I cried out as I stumbled all over the room with Christianna on my back attacking my hair.

"Girls stop it now!" Jeffrey called out in a booming authoritative voice that shook the room.

At that moment it fell apart.

I flung Christianna off my back and sent her flying into a pile of boxes behind us and as I did this, I stumbled on piece of the unassembled shelf and fell into the armoire. "That's it!" he cried frustrated. We picked ourselves up from our "crash pads" and walked over to our dad as he continued. "What's happened to you two? This is not how you used to behave! I EXPECT BETTER OF YOU! Do you remember that we moved for you guys? So pull it together or back we go!" he tiraded. "Chrissy, Sel, Please. Help me out here. This is new to us all so we need to stick together. Especially since we weren't expecting your Grandmother to get sick so suddenly."

I nodded and Chrissy replied. "You're right father."

"Thank you; now get out for a bit. Get some fresh air. BE SISTERS AGAIN! Go to the park across the street. I'll get you dinner." He said calmly. "But for now, I'm going to take a Tylenol and hibernate in my office because of the headache you guys have given me." He joked.

We nodded and headed downstairs. In the living room, Grandmother Jane Banks looked up from her book. "Hello Girls." She said brightly. I looked over and noticed the aspirin and half full glass of water. Apparently dad wasn't the ONLY one who we had given a headache too, but Grandmother was to polite to say anything.

"Sorry if we were too loud Grandma." I told her as me and Chrissy slid on our shoes.

Jane got up and walked over to us. "Where are we off to so late in the day?" she asked curiously.

"Just the park." Chrissy said unusually meek. Most likely because she had only met her a month ago and Christianna still felt like a guest in her new home. Chrissy would tell me later that she used to watch how easily we got along with each other and she would grow shy. I always found this weird because Christianna was NOT a very shy person normally.

But then again, nothing had been normal since May…

"The Park? Oh you mean Cherry-Tree Park! Yes, that is quite an interesting park, I've spent quiet a great deal of time there as a youth, Flying Kites, Setting off firecrackers every November 5th. Ah, I have met a great deal of… interesting people there." Jane told us.

We turned away to hide smiles. We knew all about the 'Adventures' our grandmother and her siblings used to have at the park. Not that we were able to say anything to her, being sworn to secrecy and all. We didn't know if telling grandma counted or not, so we decided to keep our mouths shut to be safe!

"I'm sure you did." I said in pretend disbelief.

"What's November 5th?" Chrissy asked curiously. "And why did you used to light fireworks that day?"

"Oh, it's a tradition that died way before Selena's mother was born." She answered.

"On November 5th it is Guy Fawkes Day, I don't really remember what happened for it to be celebrated but on that day people used to light bonfires and shoot off firecrackers to celebrate." I answered.

"More or less…" Jane added. "Now I won't keep you any longer, be off!"

Christianna and I said goodbye to her and headed to Cherry Tree Park.

"Selly…" Christianna began. "Can I ask you something?"

We were lying on the grass by the pond. The sun was at the point before it starts to set and boats were sailing across the pond lazily. A light westerly wind softly. "Anytime Chrissy." I answered as I closed my eyes lazily.

"What have your dreams been like lately?"

My eyes flew open. My dreams had been weird and strange lately. Very cryptic. But they seemed to be feeding off from the strange feelings that have been radiating from the mark above my heart. I had assumed it was just new school jitters but now I wasn't to sure.

"Why?" I asked her curiously.

"Because mine have been weird lately." She explained.

"Have they been about… her?" I asked carefully in a hushed tone so nobody would hear.

Christianna nodded and explained her dreams. She would be wandering in a forest looking for a way out and she'd hear her call her name. Christianna would run around looking for her but she'd never find her.

"It drives me crazy!" she told me.

"I know right? Do you smell toast when you wake up too?" I asked.

"Yes! I swear I keep thinking I'm having a stroke!" Christianna joked.

"I have a dream too…" I began and I explained that in my dream what happened was: _I and Chrissy sat on the bench by our big bay window, I strummed my Guitar and she patted the beat._

You, You're always there for me  
When I need you most  
Day and night you're by my side  
Protecting me  
When I feel like crashing down  
You seem to be around  
There you are  
You're not that far cause

Whenever, where ever baby  
You'll protect me  
No matter what  
Hold me tight with all your might And you'll never let me go  
Protecting me

You listen to me when  
I speak out loud and you  
You know right when my heart's been bent  
When my life's tumbling around  
You take me off the ground  
You tell me everything's ok

Whenever, where ever baby  
you'll protect me  
No matter what  
hold me tight with all your might you'll never let me go

You'll never let me go  
you'll never let me go  
you'll never let me go

When its my turn (My turn)  
To help you out (Help you out)  
I gladly lift you up without a doubt

(Whenever) Whenever, where ever baby  
You'll protect me  
No matter what  
Hold me tight with all your might You'll never let me go (Let me go)

Whenever, where ever baby  
I'll protect you  
No matter what  
Hold you tight, with all my might  
And I'll never let you go (Let you go)

You, you're always there for me  
When I need you most  
Day and night you're by my side  
Protecting me  
Protecting me

_Christianna smiled happily and looked out the window, we could see the Park perfectly from across the street, between the cherry trees. Then her eyes widened. "Look!" she cried as she pointed to a small black figure holding an umbrella off in the distance._

_All we could do was smile._

"Then I wake up before she arrives!" I finished.

It was Marianna we were discussing. Marianna was our old nanny. To be honest she wasn't really Marianna. That was just a disguise. She was REALLY Mary, Mary P., Mary Poppins! (god it's so weird, even to us to say that) Yes, she's really, and living in Somewhat seclusion. Not really, she just goes by an alias so people don't figure out that she is real. (Thanks to P.L. Travers and Disney for having to go and make her some Fictional character)! Now she has to go by Marianna to keep other people from realizing who she is and to keep the stuff she can do a secret from all other people.

(Not that adding 'Anna' to her name hides it much. I mean I figured it out. But maybe that's only because of my 'blood' or something I dunno. Maybe unless you're a Banks, the name change is the equivalent to Clark Kent's glasses. Which would explain how if it hadn't been for me, we'd never know!) Only three people (thanks to me) know about her, Me Christianna and My friend Ashley back in New York (she only knows because she helped me figure it out). But no matter WHO knows or who doesn't, she still came and fixed us (while we ended up fixing her too!)

Things used to be very different in our family. I am ashamed now to admit this, but I wasn't the best person. I was super rebellious and always causing trouble. Christianna used to be dishonest and tricky, and our Dad never used to be around or take much care of us. Then one day my dad learned he had to go to Chicago for a month or so for work and he couldn't leave me and Christianna alone that long, or pull us out of school. That was when 'Marianna' arrived. She was there from September to May, almost a whole year, but in the end she had some things to figure out as well as us. Things we needed to do alone, because we had changed, for the better, but still changed.

Only I think I changed the most, and let me tell you why! How many of you remember the umbrella? How many of you remember that it came to life in the end of the movie? How many of you believe me when I say that it really is alive?

(Seriously, she walked around with the umbrella and bag and only I figured it out. Seriously, it's the Clark Kent Physcology again!) Well back in October, Ashley and I were trying to connect the pieces together, so I snuck in her room to take the umbrella and other clues, only we heard her come in so I had hidden In the closet. I guess I had pulled it too close and squeezed it to hard, because it got mad and BIT ME! Yeah, right above the heart. (Remember the mark mentioned earlier, that's how I got it!). Now it would have been OK, if I HADN'T ended up in the hospital after an unfortunate almost-dead-after-being-technically-dead-until-pulled-from the-other-side-by-Mary experience, in which I had opened the mark up again and it had gotten worse. It was then in the Hospital things happened, I don't really know WHAT happened because I suppose I was still out or something but at one point that night, a tear from her fell on the opened cut. I know this happened because I remember is feeling a sudden rush of pain, a strange burning sensation. Seriously, it felt as if I was dying. But I didn't and when I awoke we BOTH learned that something had happened and from then on we've had some weird two way 24/7 connection to each other. Although, it had been oddly silent for the past little while, this concerned me a lot. It wasn't just because she had left, because even in June I'd been able to get through and vice versa. It's only been since these weird dreams and feelings happened in July. Now it was the last day of July and no sign or anything from her. (If course it had to happen right after Selena learned that they could crash in each others dreams.)

"I wish I understood this, maybe we SHOULD ask your grandmother Selena, she may know…" she began before I cut her off.

"No, we can't. We promised. Besides she probably wouldn't know THAT much. Everything she could tell us we probably already know or wouldn't help us much. Besides, she MUST have already met Grandma when she arranged the housing for us back in September. If she had wanted grandma to know that we knew, she probably would have said something already, letting us know it was safe." I answered.

"If we can't talk to grandma, and we can't figure it our ourselves. Than what do we do? What is with the sudden signals of SOMETHING!" she complained.

"Argh! Why is this so difficult? Why does she figure out how to complicate us even when she's not here?" I moaned annoyed.

At that moment a ball when whizzing by us and landed on Christianna's head. "Ow!"

A boy Christianna's age came running up. "Sorry, can I have my ball back?"

"I don't know! That really hurt!" she said as she clutched the ball to her stomach.

"You can't keep it!" he said annoyed. "That is stealing. That is a punishable offense! Besides I have already apologized and it was an accident!" he said getting angry.

She looked him over carefully as if decided she should give back to him or not. Suddenly her expression changed. "Ok, but next time you may not be so lucky!"

"Why are you so difficult?" he asked as she gave him the ball back.

"I AM NOT!"

"Yes you are!"

"Hmmm." She said to herself. "I like you! Let's play!" she said giving the ball a kick.

"Okay!"

They ran after the ball as they introduced themselves. "I am Christianna Wendy Forrest-Simon"

"Freddy!"


	3. The Part Christianna Disappears

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Two:**

_**The Part where things start to happen**_

Now it took me a few minutes before I realized that something wasn't right, mostly because my conversation with Christianna had be thinking so intently on Mary. All I knew is that 10 minutes later when I looked around for her because it was getting late and the sun had started to set, she was gone! I sat up incase maybe something was blocking her from view, but I still couldn't see her or Freddy.

"Chrissy?" I called. "Christianna?... Oh shit!" I screamed as I got up quickly and began to run around looking for her.

I looked from the flower garden to the statues and no Christianna anywhere. Now I was seriously scared. She knew not to leave the northern half without permission! By the time I ran to the Pavement walk I was hopeless and convinced she was gone forever, convinced some giant ape of a man came and picked her up and took her to Tiki Town, Timbuktu or something like that.

My head was spinning; I needed to sit for a moment. I wouldn't be much help if I passed out after all! I sat on a bench where across the path an old man was playing an accordion in a familiar tune. He walked over to me, never once stopping his music. "Hello there young lady, are we doing alright this fine day?" he asked me completely oblivious to the fact that my sister and her new friend (two people he did not know) had gone missing.

"No, I'm not!" I said more snappishly than intended. "My sister and her little friend have most likely been kidnapped by an ape man to Tiki Town, Timbuktu. I'll never see her again and my dad will hate me for being so careless!" I vented about 50% sure this man thought I was insane… (I mean Tiki Town? And APE MAN! I think some random things when I'm scared and paranoid!)

The man seemed to find this amusing, for he chuckled at me. "I saw you come in earlier with you little sister. I don't think she was taken by an ape man." He said with a coy smile.

I raised my eyebrows incredulously. "Oh really? And why is that?"

He pointed down the Long Walk where at the very end two little figures were being chased by one angry figure and two others behind him. "Because here they come now, and the park keeper doesn't look very happy with them?" he observed.

I turned and peered down the paved path and sure enough, Chrissy and Freddy were being chased by the Cherry Tree Park keeper. Chrissy waved as they ran past me. "Christianna? Wait!" I called out as I was knocked aside by the furious park keeper. One of the boys ran on past calling out Freddy's name, but as he did he looked at me and asked. "You ok?"

I nodded and said "Yes". Then he kept running. The other boy rushed by and stopped and helped me up. "Are you alright?" he asked sincerely.

"Yes…" I said. "GET THEM!" I yelled and he ran after the others.

I went over to the bench to get my bag when all of the sudden my chest was burning. And not like heartburn or anything, but like someone had set fire to me. And then a piercing pain came as if I was now being stabbed to death as I burned. I shrieked in pain. The old man came over and helped me onto the bench. It was my mark; it felt as it did the night in the Hospital when Mary's tears had gotten into it, activating the powers of the bite. The man was looking as the mark, which until now had just been a scar, and the scab had gone, that was now bleeding as it had that night. I clutched my hand to my chest and the pained stopped as well as the blood. Now it was replaced with a gentle cooling sensation and the mark began to scab over again.

It had been acting up all summer, but this was more than usual. Never had it been this bad. I was sick of it. What did it mean? Was she here? Was she dead? Was she trying to contact me? Or was she just pissing me off intentionally!

I couldn't take it anymore. "ARGH!" I cried.

"Is it still burning?" he asked me curiously.

"No." I answered. "Now I'm just frustrated... wait. How did you know it was burning?"

"You said it was." He replied.

Had I? It was possible; maybe I just didn't remember crying that out. Wouldn't be the first time I forgot something like that.

"What is frustrating you?" he asked me truly curious.

I moaned. "Our annoying nanny!" I cried out. "She's… suppose to come back one day… but we don't know when… and… um… she won't answer our calls, but she keeps sending us very cryptic messages and it's annoying." I stuttered, trying not to give anything away.

"Well, sometimes… and I'm just speaking from past experience mind you… but sometimes when you call out and let the world know what you want and how you feel about it… you tend to get results." He said and casted me a strange knowing look. "Good luck with your sister, Selena…" he said and walked away.

Now I knew something was up. I definitely didn't give him my name! I turned to call him out but he had disappeared. Strange, but I now had something more important to deal with. I bolted down the Long Walk where they had gone. I prayed my swinging muscles would kick in and give me the needed boost, even if I hadn't swung since that day at Montgomery Park…

I ran until the road split, now I was stuck. I had no idea which way to go. I looked around for any indication on where they might have gone but there was nothing. I was back where I started. "Crap." I muttered under my breath.

Now what do I do?

I felt a light easterly breeze run through out the park. I looked at the sky, the leaves on trees had started to turn (well some of them anyways) and it was serene. The voice rang through my head as if trying to tell me something: _sometimes when you call out… you tend to get results… _it repeated. The wind was warm and cool, the perfect mix of both. It wrapped around me and them fled upwards towards the clouds.

"Calling Out, Huh?" I said to myself. "Can't hurt." I walked over to the empty playstructer and leaned against a net ladder. "one, two three…"


	4. The Part Mary Arrives Gift for Readers

(Sorry for the delay...)

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Three:**

**The Chapter Marianna Usually Arrives!**

"MARY! MARIANNA! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, GET DOWN HERE!" I screamed about a thousand times before I realized that I looked like a crazy person screaming at the sky. That wasn't going to work at all!

What did she want from me? I wondered. What did I have to do? I started trying a whole manner of crazy things the next few minutes. I don't even remember my logic behind them anymore, all I know is that some how I ended up twirling around like a crazy top shouting 'S-U-P-E-R-C-A-L-I-F-R-A-G-I-L-I-S-T-I-C-E-X-P-I-A-L-I-D-O-C-I-O-U-S!' like in the musical. Only I'm sure when Ashley Brown did it she was twirling around like a mad man in the middle of a park, and when Laura Michelle Kelly did it she was shouting it at the top of her lungs, and Scarlett Strallen wasn't getting looks that said. "Get this bitch a straight jacket" when she spelt it too! Now once again I'm not sure how it happened, but during this moment in which I appeared to have gone completely off the rocker, the bag I had brought with me and was spinning with felt suddenly heavier as I tripped over a tree root and my bag went flying. All of the contents spread across the dirt path. I sat myself up and looked around at the mess; I stood up and went to gather them.

Any of you who have read my Blog about her first appearance would know that I often kept my songbook on hand at all times, but not since we moved. I hadn't lost interest in music or anything, I just hadn't trusted the shippers not to lose the box it was in so I had packed it inside my piano box at home in a corner of our room. I hadn't touched it since I put there, so imagine my surprise when I gathered my things and in the mess was…

"My songbook?" I said to myself as I picked it up and dusted it off. "But how? …Impossible"

The wind suddenly picked up and began flipping it's pages, I was so confused by the fact that it was even here so I was too stunned to do anything about the sudden wind opening it to page 11 where on it I had written so long ago, Only Fooling Myself.

I instantly remembered when I first played it with Ashley Grimmes, my best friend in New York at our private lessons. Then when I played it for Mary after we became friends and I knew the truth about her. Then that last time when she had left. All those memories filled me up inside as the wind frantically flipped the page back and forth. Trying to tell me something.

I looked up above me as if the wind was a person hovering there. 'This? You… you want me too… you want me to sing this?"

The wind softened and seemed to warm as if it was saying 'Yes'.

I looked at the sheet, it was then I felt so tired from spinning and running for a good 15 minutes straight. I tried to sing the chorus but my breath was too short. I had to stop to catch my breath.

The wind seemed to get angry and it confused me even more, god I wish the wind knew English instead of just the language of the wind. I wasn't 1, I didn't understand it anymore! The wind caused the top half of the page to flap in the wind.

"STOP IT!" I cried as I grabbed the end. "You're not going to make this go any faster by doing that!" I yelled at it.

It seemed to hear me because it listened and stopped flapping the page. I leaned against the jungle gym bars as I felt the shade of a tree slowly creep over me. I looked at the page as I stopped to catch my breath…. And to my surprise the first line was…

"I stop to catch my breath…?" I read aloud_… Hmm Maybe…_

_I stop to catch my breath - I stop to catch your eye  
No need to second-guess - That you've been on my mind  
I dream days away, but that's okay!_

_It's like I want to hear a silent sound - And then hold it in my hand  
but a rose won't blossom from a ground - Of desert san_

_but I like to pretend that…_

I started to hear the connection this song had to what had happened and what was happening lately between us and Mary. I started to feel a bit angry, it was almost as if she was playing with us. She was using us…

_One day I'll turn around - I'll see your hand reach out  
I'm only fooling myself, - But maybe when you smile  
It means you'd stay awhile - Just maybe you'd save me now_

Then I wondered if maybe that wasn't what was going on… Maybe we had just grown used to having that dependence all the time and we couldn't get used to no longer having it. Still, if she knew we needed her she could at least let us know she was doing alright instead of this uncertainty all the time.

_Well, now it's etched in stone - That I can't survive alone - You have the missing piece  
That I need so desperately - Yes, I slip away to a day that'll never come  
It's like a splash of water to my face - When I suddenly realize - That you could never find a place  
For me in your eyes, and I don't know why I keep thinking_

_One day I'll turn around - I'll see your hand reach out  
I'm only fooling myself, oh, - But maybe when you smile  
It means you'd stay awhile - Just maybe you'd save me now_

_It's love in disguise - I'm lost in your eyes - I'm lost in your eyes_

I felt the wind strongly pick up and it rattled the whole park, people around were scared. Half of them feared a tornado or storm was coming, that's how strong it was. Other's looked at me and noticed it seemed to be on queue with me and stared at me as if I was calling on the forced of hell to kill us all. (This was ridiculous!) I looked up and in the distance I saw something coming from the sky and coming towards me. Something in a long Edwardian black coat, a matching hat with the familiar daisies and cherries decorating it,

_One day I'll turn around - I'll see your hand reach out  
I'm only fooling myself, oh, - But maybe when you smile  
_

As it came clearer I noticed a large reddish bag that appeared to be made of carpet and it seemed to be holding on to an umbrella with a parrot head. It was just above me and the wind seemed to pick it up, toss it (firmly but still gently) around until it was hovering in front of me. Leaves and such had also been added to the whirlpool of wind that now surrounded the object.

_It means you'd stay awhile - Just maybe you'd save me now - Save me now  
_

The Wind seemed circle around it, as I was able to see that the object was a woman, a woman in a black coat and hat, carrying a carpet bag and currently closing an umbrella. A Woman who as she finished that looked up to see me staring at her and a twinkle grew in her eye. The Wind circled one last time then whooshed upwards into the sky as her feet landed firmly on the ground, and as it did a large BANG sounded though out the park and the wind shot up into the sky and almost seemed to explode and with it, it took out the clouds in the sky till it was nothing but sun shine and blue sky.

People looked at the sky in amazement, everyone but me. For my eyes stared at amazement at the woman who stepped out towards me with a warm and comfortingly familiar grace and the light scent of toast. I couldn't believe my eyes, after all the nights, the dreams, the pains, the memories and all, after all the times we wished on a star at night with greatest hopes, she was here. Standing right in front of me, as 'Practically Perfect' as ever (forgive the joke), Mary Poppins was there.

Mary Poppins, Mary, Mary P., Marianna (as we had to call her in public) the world's most famous nanny, was here. Here for me and my sister. She had just flown in on an umbrella and made a huge display all for us, and all I could do was stare in silence.

She looked at me expectantly for a few minutes, I was silent. My mind fought over how I should feel. Should I be happy she's here? Or mad that she left? Should I Be Grateful she finally arrived or angry that she put us through all that torture for months! My happiness seemed to outweigh my anger, just outweigh.

Mary Poppins looked me over. The first thing she said was. "You're hair is shorter, and it's red now."

I really didn't know what to say to that. I mean what would you say if a supposedly fictional nanny came down from the sky in a huge display, looked you over and pointed out you're new hairstyle? SO instead I did the same.

"You're…umm…" I looked for something different since I last saw her. She looked almost exactly the same. Almost, except for her eyes which I SWEAR had gotten Icier AND Bluer in three months! "You're eyes… their definitely…" how did I word this? Colder? Icier? More Blue? That sounded like a bad thing! So Instead I said. "Brighter, in a good way."

We looked each other over. Mary looked me over once again, and after it was quite clear I wouldn't make the first move she sighed briefly and gave in. "I'm Back,… and…" she struggled as if she too was as lost for words as I was. She finally seemed to give in to what she WANTED to say really badly and told me. "Oh, Selena… You don't know how much I've missed you!" she said as she walked over to me with her arms out. I walked forward with mine and we met in the middle. We hugged each other.

"Oh! It's been way to long! I've missed you all so much!" she told me as I buried my head into her shoulder and got a whiff of the toasty aroma that had been missing from my life for way to long.

Still unsure what to say I decided to go half n' half. "I've missed you too, we both have. And I hope you know how much of a bitch you are for leaving us for that long and putting us through all this crap before you came." I said as if held back tears of joy.

She pulled away and gave me a hard look. "Excuse me? What did you call me?" she asked hotly.

"You heard me!" I said. "You left us alone and since you did nothing's been right. Then for three months you've been MIA but leaving us with cryptic signs of your arrival."

Mary crossed her arms and frowned. "If memory serves us right, it was YOU who told me to go in the first place. What was it you said? Let me think, something along the lines of: _'You helped us and gave us all peace of mind again. We all have been given our second chance. It's time I gave you yours. You need a chance to find you again. No more drama that we had. You need to be Mary Poppins again. Somewhere you can get back into the swing of things. Other families need you too; it's selfish of me to keep you to myself when the world needs you more than I. I lost the magic from my life, you gave it back to me, and others deserve that chance too.'_" She said in a perfect imitation of me that night in New York.

I crossed MY arms and frowned TOO. "Yeah, well leaving may be one thing, but we haven't heard a peep from your end in almost two months now. We were concerned, especially after the cryptic messages. What were we suppose to think?"

Mary gave an annoyed huff. "Well, excuse me for being a bit preoccupied with my 'need to be Mary Poppins Again' and be away from all the 'drama that we've had'. Next time you tell me to do something, I'll remember to do the EXACT opposite so I don't get yelled at for doing what I was instructed!" she said angrily. "Not much of a welcome, I'd say!"

"You act as if we should be thankful that you decided to grace us with your presence finally. Where were you 4 minutes ago when I needed you? That's right! Busy playing games with us!"

"You act as if I have nothing better to do all day than to toy around with you two!"

"This is ridiculous! You've only been here a minute and we're already about to murder each other!" I cried out. WE looked at each other angrily for a moment, but we were unable to suppress our smiles as we both began to laugh wildly, We hugged again. "Oh Mary we've been going crazy!" I said.

"You already were crazy!" she joked. "But don't change one bit!"

"I'm so glad you're back!"

"I'm glad to be back." She replied as she looked around. "By the way, where had you're sister gone?"

It was then I remember why I had called her in the first place and how she was being chased with that little boy by three guys. I was just about to open my mouth when from out of the bushes, Chrissy and Freddy jumped out and darted towards us. "Get her!" I cried as I grabbed on to Freddy as he ran passed and Mary caught hold of my sister.

The struggled for a second until they saw it was us. Christianna looked at me. "Selena, we got to get out of here! He's insane!" she said. It was then she noticed the hand on her shoulder that was restraining her. She looked up and saw Mary giving her a curious look. "Oh my…"

She smiled at Christianna as Freddy looked confused. "What's going on?" he asked, but nobody replied to him.

"Mar…_ianna!" _ She cried correcting herself from blowing her cover. Christianna stared up in amazement then reached out to hug her tightly. "Oh, Marianna! We've missed you so much!"

At that moment, the Angry Park Keeper and the two boys came running around the corner and stopped in front of us. The Park Keeper stood up straight. "Ah-ha! Caught you two!" he cried.

"What is going on here?" I asked. "Why are you after these two?"

He gave me a strange look. " 'ese two was plukin' the Flowers from the Garden O'er in the Northr'n 'alf of the park. 'at is against the Bylaws!"

The boy who had helped me up rolled his eyes. "When did picking up a dandelion that had sprouted in the garden count as thievery?" he asked incredulously.

"A Dandelion? Really?" I asked incredulously. "What kind of drill sergeant are you? This is a park! Are you really going to go insane of a _dandelion_?"

He looked at me. "I 'aven't seen you before? What are you, her babysitter?"

I crossed my arms. "Sister!"

"Well you better keep her in line at THIS Park! And I can probably assume that you're with these two troublemakers 'ere right?" he said pointing to the boys.

"No! You cannot assume. I don't know these people, although I must say, you two look very familiar. Ad I Also would like to point out that it is rude to insult members of the public in front of them and on duty, probably also against the rules too. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior, from any park staff while visiting their establishment, and I can assure you that you have not heard the end of this or my name isn't…"

"Selena Banks?" said the one boy.

"Yes, thank you!" I said. "Or my name isn't Selena Banks!" It was then I realized how strange it was that these two strangers knew who I was. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

"It's me, Milo, Your Cousin Milo Banks. Do You Remember Me? Is it really you?" he said and my eyes widened as he spoke.

"Milo?" I asked. As I remembered my childhood and my cousin… "Milo! Oh my god! I cannot believe it" I said as I rushed over and gave him a hug.

The boy next to him tapped me on the shoulder, I turned to look at him. "So let me guess, if Milo is here that must mean… Oh My God, KEVIN? KEVIN ANDREWS?" I said as he nodded. I stared in amazement. I mean sure we all looked different then we had years ago, but out of all of us, Kevin had changed the most.

Milo used to be scrawny, with dark hair and glasses (kinda like Harry Potter in the beginning of the first movie, before he's a wizard) and REALLY geeky! Now he was tall not so scrawny and his hair was better maintained, but probably still REALLY geeky I, personally, well obviously my hair was longer and was still brown at that time. I was always a pretty tall for my age, and I used to be dubbed Selene the Terrible (I have ALWAYS caused trouble!). But Kevin? Boy was he different. First he grew into his ears, and his nose. Second, he used to be really short but now he was taller than me (and I'm pretty tall), third of all he wasn't as much as a thin scabby toothpick anymore, he had grown.

"I know, I said the same thing one day when I looked in the mirror!" he joked. I gave him a hug too.

Christianna tugged on my arm, and until then I had forgotten she was there. "Um, WHAT'S GOING ON?"

Mary raised an eyebrow. "I was wondering the same thing!"

I had forgotten about Mary too as I turned to them. "Oh so sorry, this is my cousin Milo, Milo Banks and His and my former Friend Kevin Andrews. Milo and Kevin, This is my sister Christianna Wendy Forrest-Simon and our… nanny Mary…Marianna!" I said catching myself. I looked down at Teddy. "But I don't know who this is…Hello, I'm Selena."

Teddy looked me straight in the eye and shook my hand firmly (for an eight year old anyway!). "Hello, I am Timothy "Teddy" Andrews, Kevin's Younger Brother." He said in maturity beyond his years.

We had all forgotten about the fuming Park Keeper while this was going on, and he was well aware of that and didn't like it. "EXCUSE ME!" he said as he turned me around and looked at me intently. His eyes widened suddenly in fear. He remembered me now. "Oh my Goodness, It can't be!" he said as he let me go quickly and took a step back. "I didn't want ter believe it, but I can't deny it. Selene the Terrible! But 'ow? You been gone fer ah'lmost nine years! They said you 'ere gone fer good!"

He took another step back as an old and familiar evil smile spread across my face. The one that had struck hear into his " 'eart" was I was younger. "They lied, I'm back! Back to stay. So you had better watch it!" I said as he looked frozen in fear as Milo and Kevin positioned themselves accordingly behind him with mischivious looks of their own. Just for effect I added a tiny 'Boo!' and he ran off the other way.

"Alright!" Milo said. "Got out of another one thanks to the Great Selene the Terrible and the Trouble Twins" he said as he gave everyone a high five (who had just looked at his hand oddly when he held it out to her during this and 'left him hanging'.)

I felt her come up next to me. "You seem to hold a bit of a reputation around here." She said with a smile as she gently elbowed me.

I tried unsuccessfully to hold back a satisfied smile. "What can I say? I'm a hard person to forget!"

"You get that from me most likely!" she said proudly.

I rolled my eyes and gave her a look. "How on earth did I get that from you if I never had even known you then? Besides! We're not actually related in anyway! Just because you're DNA runs in MY Blood doesn't make us related." She raised her eyebrow at me again, Giving me that _look_. "Ok, GENERALLY it does, but not in OUR case!"

She rolled her eyes at me and turned back to everyone else. "Well, today has been very eventful, why don't we take our party back to Number Seventeen?"

I had to notice, it was almost impossible to not, But when Mary Said 'Number Seventeen' there was just something about it. It was a glimmer of Excitement, Longing and that feeling you get when you're right where you belong. And you could tell it was there, but only if you knew the truth. When I thought about it, the more I like the thought of that and agreed with it. New York was nice, but we BOTH truly belonged here at Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, The place that had been BOTH of our homes for so long.

"Yes, Lets!" I said for the first time realizing how exhausted I was and Christianna apparently agreed because I felt her lean against me.

"We'd love to but…" Milo began as he was suddenly interrupted by the angry call of a blonde girl with brunette streaks.

"MILO! KEVIN!" she barked from down the Long Walk. As she got closer she began to yell out again. "What? We separate to find Teddy and when I find him, I also see you, about to leave with other people. What the hell guys? Am I suddenly being replaced? One Blondie ain't enough for you? Had to go and find a Blondish Girl, A Red-Head and a…" she paused at Mary. "Um… dark-haired…woman?" She reached us and gave Milo and swat on the arm.

Now I don't want to sound completely lame, but I knew the minute she had come over. I just knew… it one of those things. As she chewed up Milo and Kevin for ditching her I was proven correct. "Sorry! Sorry! Jeesh Jordyn! We apologized already." Kevin said as he rubbed the place she had just hit him.

"Jordyn Grimmes?" I said as she took a second out from her tirade to pause and turn around.

"Who's askin…" she froze when she saw me. Her eyes widened hugely. "Selena?"

Milo looked confused. "Wait… you KNOW each other?" he asked incredulously.

We didn't reply. 'Oh My GOD!" she cried. "I haven't seen you since Christmas back in New York! How are you? How are your Dad and sister? Are Tabitha and Louise here too? How's Ashley?"

Jordyn Vanessa Grimmes, sister to my Best Friend Ashley Monnet Grimmes. Ashley and Jordyn had been my friends since we had first moved from London and at school I was considered the 'kid with the funny way of talking'. We had been inseparable, until Jordyn about 6 months later found out that she had been accepted into a school for music (which she was amazing in) in London. Jordyn flew to London and was staying with her aunt as she attended school here and continued to be a prodigy, and came down on Holidays and Vacations to New York to see her mom, dad, sister and me. I hadn't known that she had gone and became friends with my cousin and his friend though.

"How do you know here? She came 6 months after you left us?" Kevin said to me.

"I met her and her sister in New York and was friends with her until she got accepted into the school here. Me and her sister remain to this day Best Friends and we got to see Jordyn on her visits." I explained.

"That is amazing. Who knew that we'd end up friends with you're friend after you left and she came!" Milo said, stating the obvious.

Mary smiled. Jordyn turned to her. "I know you! Ashley told me ALL about you, and Selena and Chrissy and abou…" she began before I quickly covered her mouth.

Mary had a panicked look and I slowly removed my hand as Jordyn fell silent. "I'm sure she did, and I'm also sure that she explained the RULES about it too?" I said giving her a sharp look.

"Of course! She told me never too… OH!" she said realizing. "Opps, sorry!"

Milo, Teddy and Kevin Looked at us awkwardly. "We obviously have a lot to cover. Let's head home and get re-acquainted with each other." I said as I linked arms with Mary and Jordyn. Christianna held Jordyn's hand. Milo, and the Andrews' boys nodded and followed us back to Number Seventeen Cherry-Tree Lane.

On our way back Mary whispered to me. "By the way, you never finished you're song."

I Smiled. "I didn't need too. The line is 'maybe you'll save me'. But… you just did."

Mary smiled back at me and I rested my head on her shoulder as I was Elbow locked with Jordyn who was comparing stories with Milo about me (Who was elbow locked with her.) On Mary's side Christianna held on to her and Teddy's hand, who was also holding on to his brother looking as confused and joyful as ever.

Ha! If he had trouble with THIS, boy was he in for something. Because one thing I've learned is when Mary's in our lives Things get REALLY crazy, really fast.

But I Love it that way!

_Just maybe you'd save me now_!

Message from Patricia Creamer:

Hey readers!

I have a special gift for you all!

The Special Edition of The Ultimate Mary Poppins, Vol. 1.

A digital download compilation of various tracks from the movie, musical and more. For more information of this and how to get the exclusive free download go to selena*banks*online.*weebly.*com /*selena-*-affliated-*projects.*html *

(Remove all stars from link)


	5. The Part With Meetings and Awkwardness

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Four:**

A Chapter filled with some awkwardness

Our party made its way down the Long Walk and across the street to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane. As we approached the door Christianna stepped in front of us, blocking the door.

"Wait a minute, Daddy told us not to come till Dinner. We could get in trouble if we come back to soon." She said as she crossed her arms.

I rolled my eyes. "Christianna, I'm pretty sure given today's events he'll understand!" I said as I pushed her (lightly!) aside and rung the doorbell. She gave me a 'are you kidding me?' look. "What! I don't have a key yet!" I said.

Milo shook his head. "Same old Selena…" he said to himself.

Jordyn perked her head. "She's ALWAYS been like this?" she asked incredulously. "I thought it was the whole 'just lost her mom' thing." She said. Good old Jordyn always knows how to say things the wrong ways!

The door opened and Grandmother Jane looked at us in surprise. "Oh! Goodness, Send out two and come back…Seven!" she said in amazement as she counted. She stepped aside as we all came into the house.

At that moment dad came down the stairs, staring at the newspaper unaware of the people in the house. "Jane, I'll be back in a moment I'm going to get the girls" he said.

"They're already here." She told him.

He looked up from the paper and jumped. "Oh!" he exclaimed as he stared at the people at the faces below him.

Chrissy and I waved innocently. "Hello Dad!"

"Good heavens, what's all this!"

"Just some old friends… and new" Christianna added throwing Teddy a look.

We all lined up Me, Christianna, Milo, Teddy, Jordyn and Kevin. Mary still stood at the door and I noticed Grandmother looking at her as If trying to remember her or figure out if it WAS her. I wished to help her, but something told me it was best not too. My dad walked down to Kevin, as Mary started with me and Chrissy and took our jackets and such. Dad peered down at Kevin as if trying to put a name to the face. "Don't tell me…You're Andrews' Boy… umm… Kevin right? Kevin Andrews?"

'Yes sir, it's nice to see you again Mr. Simon-Banks" he said as they shook hands.

"I haven't seen you in years, my have you grown into your nose…"

Kevin looked down sheepishly. "Yeah… I've been told."

Dad walked down to Jordyn and smiled. "I'd know that face anywhere, I haven't seen you since last Christmas but I'd never forget Jordyn Grimmes!"

"Hello Mr. Banks." She said as if talking to a close relative. "It's great to see you all again."

"it is, Have you heard from your sister lately?" He asked refurring to Ashley.

"Yes I spoke to her just last night."

"Good, good." He said as he strolled down to a nervous looking Teddy Andrews. He crouched down to his height. "I don't believe we have met, but I'd know that face anywhere! You must be an Andrews am I right?" Teddy nodded.

"Timothy Andrews… but everyone calls me Teddy" he said.

"Teddy… I like it… nice to meet you Teddy." He said as he headed to Milo.

"Ah, I know this one. Hello Milo." He said as he shook hands with his nephew.

"Hello Uncle Jeffrey." He said. "How long are you guys over here?" he asked him.

"Did they not tell you? To stay… hopefully." He said

Milo smiled. "It's about time!"

Dad walked down to Chrissy and me. "You two…" he said shaking his head with a smile. "There is nothing I can say to you two…just…I don't know how you did it but you did well. I can just tell."

It was then dad noticed who was now standing behind me and Christianna. His eyes widened. "Impossible…" he said as stepped aside and pulled Christianna with me so Daddy could take a step forward as he rubbed his eyes as if he felt they were playing tricks on him. "Marianna is it really you?" in asked in disbelief.

Mary suppressed a smile as she took a step forward herself. "Yes it is, Mr. Banks" she said coolly.

"But how...I thought…I mean…We haven't heard from you since May when… you know…" he stammered.

I bit my lip hold back my smile. What daddy didn't know is that Christianna and I had heard from her since then, well at least until July we had, but that wasn't important. "I know" Mary said obviously hiding that fact a bit better than me and Chrissy were.

"Are you here to…? I mean if you would like it you can have you're…we could always use…what I mean is…" he struggled still having trouble accepting all of this.

I had to intervene at this point because it was taking forever. "Oh my god this is taking to long! He wants to know if you want you're job back!" I snapped getting annoyed. I already knew her answer and even if I hadn't I would have because I heard her voice fill my head saying 'yes'. "She says yes and it's all decided. Now I'm hungry, and I bet everyone else is too so let's all catch up over chicken!"

Everyone smiled a bit. Mary shook her head at me. "What she said, I suppose." She said as Grandmother Lead us all into the dinning room leaving my dad in the hallway, face red with embarrassment

HEY READERS:

Two Things:

The Very First Installment of : The Mary P & Me Files has been uploaded on our YouTube Channel (SelenaAbigailBanks)

An Interview with Patricia Creamer (Author of Mary P & Me & Practically Perfect Adventures)

The Second Installment of The Mary P & Me Files will be up next weekend but we need your help.

Send us your questions and they'll be answered. Those who send in questions will receive the Jolly Holiday EP and the Supercal… EP, the top 5 Best Questions will also receive the early bird download of The Ultimate Mary Poppins, Vol. 1. All Questions need to be in by next Thursday.


	6. The Part We Catch Up With Each Other

**~PART ONE~**

Chapter Five: The Chapter of Catching Up and Concerns

We all sat around the dinner table tweeting like birds; that is Me, Chrissy, Teddy, Jordyn, Milo, Kevin and Grandmother Jane were. Dad and Mary were oddly silent, odd because they are both two of the least quiet people that I know. Not that we noticed much at the time because we were all to busy with our personal conversations and shoveling the dinner into our mouths before Milo ate it all and off our plates (He always was a pig!). We were all very into our own conversations: Christianna and Teddy were yapping away,

Milo, Jordyn and my Grandmother were comparing 'Selena' Stories,

And Kevin and I were talking…

Not really about anything in particular, but just whatever we thought of at that moment, it was actually kind of nice and refreshing. We talked about everything to music to strange fears.

(And we both agree that my irrational fear of nail clippers is not as bad as his irrational fear of people with irrational fears… but I think he may be joking about that. It was hard to tell because he was so serious about it, but not in an uptight sort of way).

Even as we finished dinner and it began to grow late, we still sat at the table not wanting even something as simple a moving to the living room to interrupt our conversations. It wasn't until we heard the living room clock chime 7 times; telling Milo, Kevin and Teddy it was time to go home. After that Grandmother Jane and Father retired to bed and Mary, Chrissy, Jordyn and I were alone, and ready to explain the ground rules.

I closed the frosted glass living room doors just to ensure extra privacy. I turned to Jordyn as she sat next to Christianna and across from Mary. "Alright Jordyn, what exactly has Ashley told you?"

"She told me everything! She told me how you two used to be really bad and your dad used to not care." She said pointing to me and Chrissy. "She told me how she arrived and at first you guys were all 'Ah go away' then you started to like her a bit. Selena then was suspicious of who she was and researched and found out that Marianna is really… Mary Poppins… which by the way I still could not believe until Ashley proved it to me… I still had my doubts until this afternoon when that loud bang went off and then you introduced us and it all fit because I did some research myself and remember how there was always a large Band when she arrived in the book and stuff… Now I'm off topic… but I suppose I don't need to go any farther." She wrapped up and took a deep breath.

"Ok, so you pretty much know everything then?" Mary asked her as she tried to remain calm, but I could feel her slowly panicking.

Jordyn nodded.

_Don't worry Mary, It'll all be fine!_

_**How can I not Selena? It was risky enough with you, your sister and Ashley. Now her sister knows too. Perhaps its escaped you're notice, but this girl has been able to keep her mouth quiet since we ran into her in the park. It could be very risky.**_

_I understand you're concerns Mary, but you don't need to worry, honestly! As much as she talks she also knows how to keep a secret. We just need to explain to seriousness of the situation. _

_**I'll believe it when I see it!**_

_You know for someone who supposedly is to bring magic, joy and faith back into a family, you're really lacking in the whole trusting department!_

Jordyn smiled. "You're doing it aren't you? That thing where you can talk to each other in your minds, Ashley told me about that! She said there were tells. For example, Selena's fingers start to fidget and Mary purses her lips."

"I do not purse my lips!" Mary said as she un-pursed her lips.

"My fingers do not fidget!" I said quickly balling them so if they happened to no one would know.

Christianna rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes you do! I would know, I see it all the time." She said. "I think what concerns them the most is the direness of the fact that all of this remains secret. Only me, Selena, you and your sister know. We'd like to keep it that way. Not even Milo, dad or grandmother knows! It also doesn't help that we live in a world that doesn't believe in things like magic and consider Mary over here to be a work of fiction made famous by Julie Andrews and currently being played on Broadway by Laura Michelle Kelly!"

"I saw her in that role when she was the role here in London! She was good!" Jordyn said. "But I thought Scarlett Strallen was better."

"Actually I'm a bit more of an Ashley Brown girl myself." Christianna countered.

"You two are crazy! Laura Michelle Kelly WAS Mary Poppins and actually WAS British!" I threw in.

"So was Scarlett." Jordyn argued.

"I know that." I said rolling my eyes. "I just wanted to make a point and win the argument!"

"Ahem! I believe that if ANYONE is the best Mary Poppins, It would... oh gee I dunno... maybe... Possibly be ME!" Mary said looking insulted

"Well obviously Mary you are. After all you really are Mary Poppins, but we are not counting you in this argument!" Christianna told her.

"Well at least let me put my input into this argument. I personally believe that, as good as Scarlett, Ashley and Laura are. No one can beat Julie Andrews." Mary said surprising us all, because she often complained about the movie, and anything that told a fictional version of her life.

We all nodded in agreement. "Wait, what were we talking about?" I asked slightly confused.

"I'm not sure." Christianna said as she and Jordyn thought trying to remember.

"Hello!" Mary said exasperated. "We were discussing the _little minor fact_ that Jordyn has come into _certain information_!"

"Oh right!" Jordyn said. "But really, you needn't worry. I understand the seriousness of this and will with all my power, keep it secret."

Mary nodded. "Very well."

_Told you, that there was nothing to worry about!_

_**Be Quiet!**_

The clock chimed 8 times and Jordyn quickly grabbed her bag. "Shit! I have to be home in 20 minutes. We'll talk tomorrow. I can't even begin to explain how happy I am that you're here! And I'm going to KILL Ashley for not telling me! Goodnight!" she called as she ran out of the house and down the street.

Mary looked up at the clock. "I think it's best if we head upstairs ourselves. We have a lot to talk about tomorrow."

We went up stairs and got ready for bed, everything felt as it should, yet still as if it was happening for the first time. We weren't even amazed when we went upstairs to find how Mary was already unpacked, because it felt as if she'd never been gone. Christianna, dressed in her _Wizards of Waverly Place_ P.J.'s and myself in my _'It's Happy Bunny' _pajamas' we sat on Chrissy's bed (because hers had its bedding on it properly and not folded on the mattress like my own.) as we waited for Mary to finish putting her coat, hat, umbrella, bag etc… away. Once she had she sat at the foot of the bed. We sat in awkward silence, as if we had used up all our words at dinner time and were now mute. I bit my lip, which had become and habit of mine when things got awkward or uncomfortable.

"How have things been?" Mary finally said, breaking the silence.

"Things had been fine… until we started getting those weird signals! I mean those things drove us into insanity!" I said, no longer feeling awkward.

Christianna crossed her arms bitterly, as she remembered those signals all but too well. "Yeah I mean Cryptic dreams? Sudden scents of toast? Did you happen to be a torturer in a past life?" she added.

Mary didn't say anything but suppressed a smile for what seemed like the 50th time that day. "There you go again, doing that thing where you try to hide your feelings. Have we learned nothing about how this is bad?" I pointed out as I pulled down the neckline of the top just enough so my mark was visible.

Mary winced at the sight of it, I could tell she was remembering the awful night that I have received it. Christianna, who was used to it now, after seeing me all summer wearing tanks and such that showed the mark off, just stared at it. "Hm, this may sound completely strange but it looks a bit darker." She said.

"What?" I said looking down at it. It looked a tad bit darker, but I didn't think much of it. "Nah, it's probably just the lighting or the fact that it's sensing its match close by. After all, it only lightened after she left us."

Mary looked at it oddly then changed the subject. "What have you two been up to?"

"You already asked that!" I told her as I rolled my eyes.

"No I didn't! I asked how you were."

"What's the difference?"

"There is a big difference!"

"No there isn't. It's the same question!"

"No its not! One means how are you doing, the other asks what you have been doing."

"Yeah, it's almost the same thing."

"Does this really matter?" Christianna asked rolling her eyes. "Seriously, it's like you two haven't changed one bit!"

Mary and I smiled a bit, for Christianna was accurate. We hadn't, not one bit. The thing was, we didn't mind at all. "We have so much to get caught up on!" I said to her and Christianna nodded in agreement.

"Yes, we do. You start." Mary said pointing Christianna.

"Why me?" She asked, not wanting to go first. "Why Not Selena?"

"Because unlike your sister, you have to go to bed in 20 minutes! So speak now or forever hold your peace." Mary told her giving her a look.

"Mary…." She whined, but Mary stared her down and Chrissy backed down. "Fine, well in news, My Birthday is coming up soon, I'll finally be nine, and Daddy got me into a good school… and um… I got my hair trimmed?" She offered uncertainly. "See this is why I didn't want to go first!" she complained.

I chuckled a bit and Chrissy elbowed me hard in the ribs.

"Ok, I'll go. Well, I'm still 15; I changed my hair as you've already pointed out. Um, since we've moved here my accent is becoming steadier as you may have noticed and I sway less between American and British than I did in New York. I still don't know where I am going to school, but I finally get to go to Public school! No more uniforms and pretentiousness! So I'm really happy about that!"

"I see." She said. Mary looked at the clock and back at us. "Bedtime."

"MARY!" we both whined but she gave us a look and we backed down. She got up, and I had a sudden urge to do something. So I grabbed Chrissy's radio pillow and chucked it at her.

Mary ducked just in time and gave a look saying. _"What was that for?"_

I just smiled and went to brush my teeth and said in a honeyed voice. "Night Mary."

She rolled her eyes at me and shook her head. While in the bathroom I could hear Chrissy talking to Mary as she put her in bed. Listened closely to catch their conversation, why you ask? Because I do not respect people's privacy and I am ok with that.

"Mary can I ask you something?" I heard my sister say quietly.

"You are already are you not?" I heard Mary reply and I rolled my own eyes at that.

Christianna ignored her. "How long are you going to be here?" she asked. "Because last time, not knowing was hard."

I could feel Mary giving a sympathetic smile at her. "Does it matter Chrissy?" She asked which amazed me because she's never called anybody by a nickname or pet name. Not even me or Chrissy. I instantly knew that she was trying to cushion the blow, I knew because she's done that to me so many times. "Isn't all that matters is that I'm here now, and shouldn't we just let what happens happen?"

"No." she said stubbornly.

"Chrissy if told you, you would be worrying and fretting about it till kingdom come. I don't want that." Mary said kindly. Her kind voice sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't like hearing it, but probably because when ever I had heard it something bad had or was going to happen. That wasn't the case this time, I was not hospitalized and she was talking to Chrissy.

Although I had to admit that I didn't like what I was hearing right now. I mean I knew she would be going eventually, it's what she does after all, but I mean, she just arrived! And she wouldn't even give us any indication. At least my grandmother got SOMETHING! But no, we don't even get "When the Wind Changes" or "When the Chain Breaks" or Hell; I'd even be content with "When the Door Opens!"

I came out a few minutes later, very unhappy. Chrissy had fallen asleep and Mary was downstairs doing something. I sat on the window seat with my guitar lightly strumming away. Amongst this strumming I found myself completing a song that I had just made from scratch. I leaned my head against the window as I heard the nursery door open; Mary came in holding to cups and sat down next to me.

We sat in silence for a few moments until she finally spoke. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"It's nothing…" I said to her, lying through my teeth. Knowing full well she's is able to tell.

"Liar, you know we can't lie to each other. Why do you keep trying?" she said.

"I overheard your conversation with Christianna, that's all." I said.

"Ah," she said understandingly. "You don't need to worry Selena. I'm not going to just disappear like last time."

"Yeah, but that's what I thought last time, and look at what happened." I said.

Mary didn't say anything. "I heard you playing…" she said trying to change the subject.

I rolled my eyes annoyed. I hated it when she did that. "Mary please don't…" I began before she cut me off.

"Selena…Please, just play it." She said. She looked me dead in the eye and spoke honestly to me as she said; "You always explain yourself better with music."

I rolled my eyes at her lame attempt to convince me to play, but I decided to anyways because what I had created was relevant to our conversation.

_I'll bet two years I'll bet one year  
I'll bet those years you won't be here  
I guess I'll keep, I guess you'll keep  
Every memory  
Sadly we may never be  
I'll bet my tears I'll bet your tears  
I'll bet those tears over time could disappear_

Wait a minute I have more to say  
and I care if you're listening to me  
I need you more than you'll ever know  
I still do, willing to let it show

I need a minute just to get to you  
I feel like I might be getting through  
Come over and say nothing  
Silence is everything (oh)

I know, I know (I know, I know)  
Feelings can show  
If you let go-oh-oh-oh  
It must be told (it must be told)  
I've got a hold  
On what we used to have

I will forgive if you forget  
All the things we said  
Let's accept it  
I need you, more than you'll ever know  
I still do, willing to let it show

I need a minute just to get to you  
I feel like I might be getting through  
Come over and say nothing  
Silence is everything

  
Mary looked at me in Silence (no pun intended) then she sighed a deep sigh and spoke. "I will stay until…" she began, As if she didn't want to say it. "Until, the giant strawberries come."

I blinked, assuming she was joking I started to laugh. She gave me an icy look that made my laughter stop. I realized that she wasn't joking. "Wait, what? Giant Strawberries? What the hell?"

Mary just shook her head. "You'll understand when it happens." She told me and handed me one of the cups in her hand. It was tea. I hated tea, and Mary knew that.

"Tea, Really?" I blinked. "I may be happy you're here, but not happy enough to drink boiled leaves."

She gave a small laugh. "Just drink it." She said.

I rolled my eyes and decided I could survive one sip, only when I went to take a sip it was no longer tea, but MY favorite drink…"Orange Pop?" I said half confused and half amazed.

"Cheers." She said as I put the guitar on the floor and moved over to give Mary more room. We both took a sip from our cups

"Mmm, Pop." I said.

"Mmm, Rum Punch." She said.

I rolled my eyes. "Alchy" I joked.

"Excuse me!" she said gabbing me in the side as I laughed. "Now, I think you have been holding back on what's been happening with you since I left."

"Like what?" I asked innocently.

"Well, if I remember correctly. When I left, something was going on between you and a mister Greggory Gruff." She said. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for this. "What's going on there?" she asked me.

"Do we HAVE to get into this?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yes, Yes we do, because if you don't I will just go into your mind and find out anyways."

I sighed. "Fine! Well we dated for a while, but we both knew it wouldn't be able to last because we were moving. So we dated until we left in July, then we broke up and are now friends. That's all. No big story there."

"Liar." She said softly.

"How so?"

"You are not fine with it!"

"Oh Mary." I said. "I Never said I was."

We talked into the night about anything and everything until we were too tired to talk anymore, when which we went to bed and slept through the night.

When we awoke, the smell of toast filled the air. Chrissy and I sat up, and in the other room we saw Mary getting ready. She saw us in her mirror.

"Good morning."

"Good Morning Mary."


	7. The Part Where We Almost Blow Her Cover

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Six:**

_**The Part We Almost Blow Our Cover for the First Time**_

The next three weeks of August passed by quickly, almost too quickly. And I soon found that a cool September breeze was sweeping through the Cherry Trees of the Lane. Last time the breeze would have me terrified but since Mary had promised me not to leave until "The Giant Strawberries arrived" (which made no sense to me) but still, despite the wind, no abnormally large fruit had sprung up.

By the last week of August, school was too close to continue to live in denial, that all the summer's adventures would have to end. No more being whisked away at night to star circus's, no more lions looking for their friends, no more compasses, no more adventures, because school came first. Summer was over! This was confirmed when on the last Monday of August; Daddy announced at breakfast that after work, they would be going to pick up their supplies.

Chrissy, me and Jordyn who had spent the night, let out a chorus of depressed sighs and unhappy moans. Mary rolled her eyes. "Now, come on! You cannot spend the rest of your life running around like animals around the city." She scolded.

Jordyn and Chrissy bit their lips and looked down, I rolled my eyes. "Whatever Mary…anna! Marianna…" I said quickly trying to cover up my slipup. Mary (who was sitting next to me) stepped on my foot firmly. I bit my tongue to keep myself from shrieking in pain as her heel tip dug into my bare foot.

_Hey! That Hurt! _(I was able to keep myself from calling her a bitch again, knowing it probably wouldn't go over well for me OR my feet)

_**Well, I'm sorry but you HAVE to be more careful! **_

Jordyn gave me a look from across the table which told me that we had both gotten those looks she told us about. I elbowed Mary subtly.

Jeffrey smiled at us as he shoveled more egg into his mouth. Grandmother smiled at us, but not the same kind of smile, a knowing smile, As if she suspected something.

I had not yet asked Mary why she didn't tell Grandmother Jane that she WAS who she thought she was. I expected her to shout out _"Ah – ha!"_ at any moment, Instead she spoke to us and said. "Selena, please show respect to others." as she usually told me to do. "You are so lucky, do you know that I would have NEVER gotten away with that with me and my siblings nanny!" she said half implying and almost half jealously directly at Mary and Me. "Mari_anna" _she said, with extra emphasis on the 'anna' part. "You don't have to let them get away with that."

Mary gave a sly smile. "You don't need to worry, I see to it that they get away with absolutely nothing." She said reassuringly.

Chrissy looked up from her bowl. "Yeah, but her punishments are not very average or conventional… just ask any New York Hospital!" she said attempting to joke, but realized how that sounded to everyone else.

I kicked Christianna under the table, as Grandmother's brow knit together as she cast a curious look at us, and Dad shot a look at Mary and Me expectantly. I panicked, and I could feel Mary panicking as well. So I did the first thing I could do.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" I laughed in fake hysterics and Chrissy, Jordyn and Mary joined in quickly.

"Oh Selena, your sister is hilarious!" she said trying to cover up her mistake.

'ha, ha, ha!" I laughed, with my acting skills temporarily failing me. "You bet she is, a real kidder, don't you agree Marianna?"

"Oh, yes. Quite the comedian!" she said with a false laughing smile.

"That's me…" Chrissy called out. "Just your everyday jokester!"

Daddy and Grandmother looked at us even sternly, both disbelievingly.

Jordyn chuckled nervously as intervened. "Hey who wants to go and…jump…on-IN a chalk pavement drawing? Um... Yeah come on let's go!" she pulled Christianna's arm and ran over to me and pulled me followed by Mary out the door.

We ran out the gate of number 17 when I turned to Jordyn angrily. "A CHALK PAVEMENT DRAWING? REALLY? As if that's Helpful!" I snapped bitterly.

"It was the first thing I thought of…" she defended as we all started to walk down the lane.

"And I hope you all realize how ridiculous you all look in your bedclothes!" Mary said superiorly as she examined her all readied self in a lamp post reflection.

I looked at us, we did look very foolish. Chrissy was wearing her Hannah Montana P.J.'s, Jordyn was wearing her Lisa Simpson Pajama set and I wore a Mickey and Minnie P.J. shirt with matching pajama pants. "You COULD do something about that! It's not as if you cannot pull something like that off!" I said snappishly.

Mary gave me a stern look, "those who demand find themselves without." She said sounding very classic 'Mary Poppins-ish.' Which until then I had not had a lot of experience with. For when we had first met, she was very much like herself. She had been as lost as I had. So I had forgotten that she was normally like this.

"Don't give me that!" I said matching her tone perfectly. (One of the perks of sharing some of "Her" in me…if that even makes sense?)

"One more word and back you go and it'll be up to you to explain everything to your father. Unless that's what you want to do, in that case be my guest!" she said priggishly.

I (actually, for real) sniffed, almost identical her to own sniff, as I rolled my eyes and said to her in a frustrated tone. "How did my grandmother, and great aunts and uncles live with you!"

Jordyn and Chrissy laughed until they were given a death glare by Mary.

"But seriously, Mary could you please do something about our apparel!" Jordyn asked her as Chrissy nodded in agreement.

She smiled knowingly. "Look at you, I cannot possible make you look any better!"

I was offended. "HEY! That's rude! I wouldn't talk by the way, I still am in possession of multiple copies in various file types in various locations, of a certain photo I took on my cell phone last year.

She turned deep red as we both remembered the day well,

_Selena and Christianna were hanging around in there room finishing up things before they left, Marianna was waiting for Christianna to take her to school. Selena suddenly felt a breeze blow through the room. She suddenly grew concerned. "Chrissy… is your window open?" she asked her._

_Christianna looked. "No, why?"_

_"Because if it isn't your window that means it's…"_

_"UH-OH!" they said simutaniously. Suddenly Christianna and Selena ran towards the window to close it but just as they did, something shot between them and smashed on the floor. It was a water balloon, or what had been._

_"HAHAHA!" came a sick laughing from outside._

_"Dammit! Greggory! Cut it out or I'll hurt you so bad that the only thing left will be your stupid baseball hat and a toenail!" Selena yelled threateningly._

_"Aw, Is Miss Selena afraid of a little water?" Came the taunting voice of Greggory from next door._

_You See, Greggory Griff Lived Next to the Banks. His Window faced Selena's. Selena hated him. She hated him at school, she hated him at home and she hated him when they preformed. Sadly, he was the best actor in the class so she was forced to work with him a lot. Marianna walked over to see what the trouble had been. "What's going ...Uhhh" she said as Selena instantly grabbed her arm and pulled her down to the ground where she and Christianna were. "What are you doing?" she asked sharply. Her question was answered by another balloon being thrown and flying right where she had been standing just seconds before. "Who is that?" Marianna asked._

_"Greggory Griff. The most annoying person on the planet…" Christianna said._

_"Next to you..." Selena added giving Marianna a look. Marianna ignored the comment as another balloon flew at them. It popped right in front of them, but instead of pouring water it poured out some disgusting goo._

_"EWWW! What the hell is this Greggory?" Selena freaked._

_Greggory laughed. "A mix of glue, milk, baby power and oatmeal! You like! I thought since you didn't like the water ones you may prefer these instead!"_

_"You're a sick person!"_

_"Ha!" taunted Greggory._

_Selena, Christianna and Marianna were huddled behind a chair. "WHO THE HELL OPENED THE WINDOW! BECAUSE THIS EXACTLY WHY WE DON'T DO THAT!" Selena yelled angrily._

_Christianna shrugged. Simutaniously the sisters turned to Marianna. Marianna looked at them a tiny bit embarrassed. "Well, how was I supposed to know!" she said, quickly defending herself._

_Christianna rolled her eyes. "Nice Going! FIX THIS!" she said annoyed._

_"You caused this, you have to be the one to go out to the window and close it!" Selena said to Marianna._

_Marianna's eyes widened. "No I Am Not! This is Not MY room… it's yours… it's your responsibility!" she said matter-of-factly._

_Selena narrowed her eyes. "GO!" she said, pushing Marianna out from behind the couch and right to where a goo filled balloon was flying._

_SPLAT! The balloon hit Marianna's head and Christianna and Selena tried to control their laughter. Selena whipped out her cell and snapped a quick photo. "Just for memories…"_

_Greggory saw he had hit Marianna; He saw her coming toward the window and instantly began to aim for her. Selena and Christianna hid behind the chair listening to sounds of feet running, Greggory laughing and balloons breaking._

_Greggory's laughing ceased and the sound the window being closed came like a victory bell from the distance. Selena looked over and saw standing in front of the window was furious, goo covered Marianna. Selena walked over to the intercom that led to Louise's room and the kitchen._

_"Louise, Were gonna need a clean up here in our room. Marianna opened my window and we were attacked by Greggory." She said. Louise sighed sadly._

_"Again?" she asked annoyed. "Alright. You three have to go now though or you'll all be late!"_

_Selena and Christianna dragged Marianna out of the room. "There's no time to clean up, Christianna will be late!" Selena said with a sly smile as they pulled a horrified Marianna out side._

_Selena took the Limo because she had the farthest to go. The car pulled up to the school and Selena ran in quickly. She ran through the halls like lightning and arrived to first period class JUST in time._

I held the photo out on my phone for Jordyn to see and Christianna laughed. Mary snatched the phone and closed it. "That's enough!" she said. "Besides, I didn't mean it that way. Look at yourselves!"

"Why?"

"LOOK!" she shouted and I looked down, to my surprise my PJs had been replaced by my clothes. Same for Chrissy and Jordyn.

"Whoa!" Jordyn cried. "That is amazing! I didn't even pack this!"

"Neat!" Chrissy said admiringly.

"Pretty Impressive..." I said

Mary raised an eyebrow. "_Pretty _Impressive?" she said. "That's all? For I seem to remember that that shirt you were wearing was your favorite until it was, who do you put it… um.. 'Totaled?' by that…um… tree incident last year…. I remember that you were very upset because..."

"The dirt and blood stains never could come out…" I chimed in as I examined the shirt and saw the lack of damage to it, it looked brand new as if someone hadn't died in it.

"Ok, very impressive." I admitted.

Mary rolled her eyes. "Jealous."

"Showoff!"

"Enough already!" Jordyn said. She looked over at the house and saw daddy climb into his car and drive away. "Duck!" she said as she pulled us behind a bush as dads car drove past us unaware of us there.

"I think its safe to go back now… We can deal with grandmother." I said as we all got back up.

"I also think it's time we talk to Jane." Christianna said as we walked back to Number Seventeen.

I felt Mary Stiffen as she spoke. "Why would we do that?"

"Because Mary, 1) She already knows about you so why are you hiding. 2) If she knew we wouldn't have to rely on excuses like PAVEMENT DRAWINGS when things like what happened at breakfast happen. 3) It'd be nice to have one less person we have to lie to 4) wouldn't it be nice to have one less person to hide from. And finally 5) because this is getting stupid! She knows it you, but she's waiting for you to tell her yourself!" I snapped as we walked up the front steps.

Mary gave a frustrated sigh, "Very well." She said as we opened the door and stepped inside, where standing on the steps, waiting for us was Grandmother Jane.

"Well, Well, Well." She said expectantly. "Looks like you're back, just in time to start talking."

Jordyn bit her lip nervously. "Look at the time, time to go! I'll get my stuff later… bye!" she said as she ran out of the house scared.

"Get Back Here! This is Practically Your Fault, You Coward!" I shouted after in the doorway, after a moment I walked back inside where everyone was standing where I had left them. "Yeah, she won't be coming back.

Grandmother suppressed a smile. "Upstairs Now!"


	8. The Part We Sorta Come CleanSorta

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Seven:**

_**The Part We Come (Sort of) Clean**_

**(DISCLAIMER: Original text from Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Comes Back and Mary Poppins Opens The Door are copyright of P.L. Travers. I DO NOT OWN)**

Ok, so obviously we had to tell her. There was no way we could have kept it quiet any longer. She knew!

Christianna, Mary and I sat in the nursery across from Grandmother Jane as we told her the long winded story that started back in September of last year and ended for a bit last May and recently picked up again. She sat their taking in every word that we told her, and gazing curiously at Mary and Me.

"… and that is when Christiannna FOOLISHLY said what she did and we quickly 'escaped'" I finished finally.

"I see." Grandmother said disbelievingly at us.

"Why doesn't she believe us Mary?" Christianna whispered in hushed tones to Mary.

"She has grown up, and sometimes that makes people clouded and hard to see the truth." She whispered back.

"That cannot be possible!" I said back. "Because she was implying some of the events that YOU guys used to do back on that day you came back."

"Well, sometimes that can happen. They remember sometimes, and when the truth is placed in front of them, they'll reject it. Despite any previously told stories or such." She whispered back to me.

"You honestly expect me to believe that story?" Grandmother said. "It's one thing to make up a foolish story like that, but to claim that I was apart of it is another!"

"Grandmother please, believe. You cannot honestly believe it a mere coincidence that you are Jane Banks of Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane, with four siblings named Micheal, John, Barbara and Annabel? Do you not remember your nanny? The stories? It was not just a recurring dream that you had. It was real." I told her.

"Believe in me Jane." Mary said walking over to her. "Don't let the truth be blinded by things like reality and such, you always were a stubborn one, just like you're brother." She said.

Grandmother looked cross. "Enough of this!" she said. "Are you so determined to make a fool out of me?"

At that moment Mary gave a sharp look at the dresser drawer, the one that never opened. The one that had been painted shut years ago and left alone. Mary looked at it and instantly it flew open. She turned back to Jane. "The truth lies in that dresser." She said to her. Jane didn't move and stared at the dresser in terror. "No?" Mary said. "Very well, I'll bring it to you." She waved her arm and a box rose out of the dresser and onto Grandmother's lap. She looked at it as if it were a bomb about to blow her up, when she left it closed Mary gave a slight nod and the lid opened slowly. Grandmother looked inside and found domino, a compass, a locket, and a note. She lifted the domino and examined it. Then we were all flashed out of the room, and into a memory.

"_I'm Lonely" she said in a whisper to Micheal, taking care not to look at him._

"_You Can't Be Lonely as long as I'm Here" he put his last brick on the roof of the castle._

"_It's not that kind of loneliness. I feel I'm going to lose something"_

"_Perhaps It's Your Tooth," he said, with interest. "Try it and see if it wobbles."_

_Jane shook her head quickly. Whatever she was going to lose, she knew it was not a tooth._

"_Oh, for just one more brick!" sighed Micheal. "Everything's done but the chimney!"_

_Mary Poppins came swiftly across the room. "There you are! That's what it needs!" she said. And she stooped and put one of her own dominos in the place where the chimney should be._

"_Hooray! It's completely finished!" he cried, glancing up at her with delight. The he saw that she had placed the box of dominos beside him. The sight of them made him queerly uneasy._

"_You mean –" he said, swallowing. "You mean – we may keep them?"_

_He had always wanted those dominos. But never before had Mary Poppins allowed him to touch her possessions. What did it mean? It was so unlike her. And suddenly, as she nodded at him, he, too, felt a pang of loneliness._

"_Oh!" he broke out with an anxious wail. "What's wrong, Mary Poppins? What can be the matter?"_

"_Wrong!" Her eyes snapped angrily. "I give you a nice respectable present and that's all the thanks I get! What's wrong indeed! I'll know better next time"_

The scene dissolved as Great Uncle Micheal apologized and Mary told them to put their coats on. I elbowed Mary.

_A little rude, much?_

_**It was a different time and I was different then too. **_

"She took us too the park after that… everyone kept coming over to say goodbye, but we didn't understand until it was too late…Or maybe we knew, but wanted to deny it…She went inside the house and we saw her leave…"Grandmother was in a dream state, as she plucked up the next items from the box, the Compass and the note.

The room dissolved again, Chrissy held me close. "What's happening?" she asked herself.

_Micheal appeared, very red in the face and panting loudly. "Look, Jane, look!" he cried and held out his hand. Within it lay Mary Poppins's compass, with the disc frantically spinning round the arrow as it trembled in Michael's shaking hand._

"_The compass?" said Jane, and looked at him questioningly._

_Micheal suddenly burst into tears. "She gave it to me," he wept. "She said I could have it all for myself now. Oh, oh, there must be something wrong! What is going to happen? She had never given me anything before."_

"_Perhaps she was only being nice," said Jane to soothe him, but in her heart she felt as disturbed at Micheal was. She knew very well that Mary Poppins never wasted time on being nice…_

…_Mrs. Brill had drawn out a small knobby parcel. "What is it? Give it to me-give it," said Jane, trembling with excitement, as she took it from Mrs. Brill's hands very quickly. Micheal came and stood near her and watched her undo the string and tear away the brown paper. Mrs. Brill without waiting to see what emerged from the package went in to see the Twins._

_The last wrapping fell to the floor and the thing that was inside lay in Jane's hand. "It's her picture," she said in a whisper, looking closely at it._

_And it was!_

_Inside a curly frame was a Painting of Mary Poppins, underneath it was written 'Mary Poppins by Bert'._

"_That's the Match-Man – he did it." Said Michael, and took it in his hand so that he could have a better look._

_Jane found suddenly that there was a letter attached to the painting. She unfolded it carefully. It ran:_

_**DEAR JANE,**_

_**Micheal had the compass so the picture is for you. Au Revoir.**_

_**MARY POPPINS**_

"Au Revoir…" Grandmother Jane said in a far away voice.

"Au Revoir?" Christianna repeated confused.

I smiled. "It means 'To Meet Again.'"

Mary was expressionless as Grandmother Jane pulled the last item from the box, the locket with a broken chain. The chain was familiar; I had seen it on the shelf back in New York the night of the "tree incident"… well a broken piece of it… Grandmother now held the missing piece of it.

Jane looked at the locket and traced its curly-cue designs with her fingers as we felt the room dissolve again, Christianna moaned. "Not again, I'm getting…Flashback sick?" she declared uncertainly as she clutched her stomach.

_The she straightened and stood looking at them for a moment-that strange look that seemed to plunge right down inside them and see what they were thinking._

"_Micheal!" she said lightly touching his cheek with her hand. "Be Good!"_

_He stared up at her uneasily. Why had she done that? What could be the matter?_

"_Jane! Take care of Micheal and the twins!" said Mary Poppins. And she lifted Jane's hand and put it gently on the handle of the perambulator._

"_All Aboard! All Aboard!" cried the Ticket Collector. The Lights of the Merry-Go-Round blazed up._

_Mary Poppins Turned. "Coming!" she called, waving her parrot headed umbrella._

_She darted across the little gulf of darkness that lay between the children and the merry-go-round._

"_Mary Poppins!" cried Jane, with a tremble in her voice. For suddenly- she did not know why-she felt afraid._

"_Mary Poppins!" shouted Michael, catching Jane's fear._

_But Mary Poppins took no notice. She leapt gracefully upon the platform and, climbing upon the back of a dappled horse called Caramel, she sat down neatly and primly._

"_Single or Return?" said the Ticket collector._

_For a moment she appeared to consider the question. She glanced across at the children and back at the collector._

"_You never know," she said, thoughtfully. "It might come in useful. I'll take a return."_

_The ticket collector snapped a hole in a green ticket and handed it to Mary Poppins. Jane and Micheal noticed that she did not pay for it._

_Mary Poppins was looking straight ahead of her, was borne past the children. The parrot's head of her umbrella was nestled under her arm. Her neatly gloved hands were closed on the brass pole. And in front of her, on the horse's neck –_

"_Micheal!" cried Jane, clutching his arm. "Do you see? She must have hidden it under the rug! Her Carpet bag!"_

_Micheal stared. "Do you Think- -?" he began in a whisper. Jane nodded. "But- she's wearing the locket! The chain hasn't broken! I distinctly saw it!"_

_Wilder and wilder grew the drumming music. And this time, as she came by, something bright and gleaming broke from her neck and came flying through the air to their feet. Jane bent and picked it up. It was the gold locket, hanging loosely from its broken golden chain. _

"_It's true then, it's true!" came Michael's bursting cry. "Oh, open it, Jane!"_

_With trembling fingers she pressed the catch and the locket flew open._

We were back in the nursery, Grandmother Jane with her trembling fingers, pressed the catch and the locket flew open. She saw before her the pictured faces of her and her siblings, clustered around a familiar figure with straight black hair, stern blue eyes, bright pink cheeks and a nose turning upwards like a Dutch doll.

Christianna peered over Grandmother's shoulder and read the curly writing underneath. "Jane, Michael, John, Barbara and Annabel Banks, and Mary Poppins…" Christianna then clutched her stomach again and looked green. "Excuse me a moment!" she cried as she instantly ran to the bathroom and shut the door.

Grandmother looked up at Mary, reciting the last three words. "And Mary Poppins…and Mary Poppins…" she said. Her eyes which had been covered by a fog suddenly seemed to clear and a look of realization spread across my grandmother's face. "Mary Poppins?"

Mary smiled and held her hand out to her; Grandmother took it and stood up. She looked Mary straight in the eye, and she then said to her. "Hello Jane…"

Grandmother was ecstatic! "Oh Mary Poppins! It's you! It really is!" then she looked at me. "Then… that must mean that… All you've said is true…" she walked over to me and brushed the bangs on my forehead aside and looked at the scar that had still yet to heal from the car incident. She touched it lightly and I winced, as I remembered the day I got it.

"…_your face and your words are saying two different things. Your words are denying it, but your face is confirming it. Don't get to 'dreamy' though; you still hold yourself in a correct manner."_

_"Dreamy?" Selena asked with false stupidly. "Oh you mean like the way you 'gaze at 'him'"_

_"Him…" Mary said confused then she suddenly understood what she was implying. Selena realized that she did too and she quickly ducked as her hand flew at her. "Why you…"_

_Selena laughed as she avoided Mary chasing her down the street. She finally had to stop at the corner. Mary caught up to her. "Got you!"_

_Everything was in slow motion; Selena was inching away from her as Mary went to playfully knock her. In unfortunate timing, Mary playfully pushed her when Selena stepped her foot on some black ice. Selena slipped as a car drove behind her and she landed on the front of the car as it quickly tried to stop. When it did Selena rolled off the hood unconscious and hurt. Mary flew after her as people gathered around; the terrified driver was already on the phone with sat next her calling her name in tears._

_What had she done? Not Again! She couldn't lose her again. She already brought her 'back' once, she wasn't sure if she would be able to do it a second time. The ambulance arrived and took Selena from her they buckled her on the stretcher. Mary was almost furious as they took her from her. Mary climbed in and sat beside her as the ambulance drove off. Mary was shaken. One of the paramedics suggested kindly that she call somebody. Mary quickly called Jeffrey. He didn't ask any questions he just arranged everything and ran over to the hospital._

Grandmother instantly pulled her hand away as it she had been burned, she looked at me as though she had seen the flash from my own memory. She nodded. "It seems that you two tend to get into trouble…" she said knowingly.

We nodded. "Mostly her fault…" Mary said pointing to me.

I crossed my arms angrily. "Who's the one who keeps causing my death?" I snapped back sounding very much like she did most of the time.

Grandmother smiled weakly. "It's like having two of them!" she said under her breath.

"Well I don't know about Selena, but the more of me the better…" Mary said haughtily.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, we better hide our children…"

Mary then gave me a harsh look and smacked the back of my head. I suppressed a smile. "What do we do about father though?"

"Don't worry… leave that to me" said grandmother devilishly.


	9. The Part Where the Strange Dreams Start

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Eight:**

_**The Part Where my Strange Dreams Start**_

I don't know how Grandmother talked to daddy and convinced him everything was ok, but she did. And for that I will worship her until I die, for I know personally that my dad is not the easiest person to deceive. I just wonder how angry he'll be if he ever does learn the truth, just the fact that he was tricked by his own family will probably kill him!

So once that was all out of the way, we got a bit of… how shall I put this? HORRIBLE NEWS!

It turns out that daddy NEVER REGISTERED ME in public school! He remembered when he pulled the form out from his briefcase later that night looking for some report. He tried to get me into the school but they said we were too late and I'd have to register next term. How could I wait a whole term? It is insane!

Want to know the bigger irony? After we went through this, we came home to find Christianna watching Hannah Montana (no kidding right?) where the same thing happened to Miley! Only, Unlike Miley I have no famous Alter Ego to register under OR know Obama… not that I think that would help me over here or anything anyways.

That night I went onto my laptop and to my surprise Ashley Grimmes was online. I clicked her name and opened up the chat window. (And YES her MSN name was Ashley Banana… (Pronounced Ash-leh Banana… Inside Joke!)

(¸.•` ¤SelBanks ~ (¯`v´¯) *.`·.¸.· Anything Can Happen SAYS: Hello Ashes! Greetings from across the pond.

A$hl3h~Bnnn SAYS: HOLY! Selly! It's been 4ever! Is your camera hooked up?

(¸.•` ¤SelBanks ~ (¯`v´¯) *.`·.¸.· Anything Can Happen SAYS: Yeah, Vidchat? U got a mic?

A$hl3h~Bnnn SAYS: yup, one sec.

**A$hl3h~Bnnn** invites you to a video chat

**(¸.•` ¤SelBanks ~ (¯`v´¯) *.`·.¸.· Anything Can Happen **accepts request for Video chat

The video window popped up and I saw Ashley for the first time since June. She curly Blonde hair with brunette streaks was pulled back into a ponytail and was wearing a "Dowsley Summer Arts Camp' Tee. She appeared to be sitting in the theater office of my old school.

"Are you at school?" I asked into the mic.

Ashley nodded. "Yes, I'm working at the summer camp this summer. Ms. Whimsnap is running it." She replied.

Ms. Whimsnap was our old teacher and an amazing person. I mean, how many people let their title role actress have a giant freakout on stage, ditch school, have a mini panic attack AND still let them keep the part and even let them dedicate the show? Not many teachers would do that! "That is so cool, and you are so lucky." I complained.

"Why is that?" Ashley replied.

"At least you're able to go to school!" I moaned self pityingly. (Only lucky that Mary wasn't around or I would have gotten a look and a mental lecture)

"Why… what do you mean…" at that moment she was cut off by loud voice on her end. Startled, she spun around jumping up. Then she let out a sigh. "Oh, you scared me!" she said to someone of camera.

"I'm sorry, just letting you know you have 15 minutes left of Lunch…What are you doing?" came an all-to-familiar voice off camera.

"I'm talking to Selena in London, come see." Ashley said to them, waving them over.

And sure enough, over walked Ms. Whimsnap. She glanced at the screen and then smiled. "Hello Selena."

"Hi." I said waving into the camera.

"How is London?" she asked me.

I didn't really know how to answer that, so I went with sarcasm. "Very British" I replied and they rolled they're eyes; you could see on their faces that they were thinking 'Same Selena'.

"Anyways, what was that whole Unable to go to school thing?" Ashley asked me.

I got into the story of how I was to go to public school but dad never enrolled me in time and I can't get in. They listened intently. "…so now I have no idea what I am suppose to do!"

"That's awful." Ashley said.

"I cannot believe it!" said Ms. Whimsnap.

I sighed. "I know right? But that's my dad for you!"

"Not that part!" Ms. Whimsnap said. "The public school part! I cannot allow that!"

Ashley gave her a confuse look which matched my own. "What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly.

"You have too much talent to be wasted on Public school! No, nope! I will not allow that!" she said. "I have a close friend over there that runs Reglington Academy of the Arts, and they happen to owe me a favor or two."

"Reglington? That's where Jordyn goes." Ashley said to us.

"I don't know I kinda wanted a normal-ish school year, no fancy school crap…" and no uniforms would be nice too! I added mentally.

But she ignored me and dashed out of the room. Ashley and I spoke for another 14 minutes when we were interrupted again by Ms. Whimsnap. "It's settled. You should get a call just…about…now!"

At that moment, the phone rang, (reminding me very much about that night in May when she left us). I heard someone downstairs answer it.

"You can thank me later. Now Ashley, come with me. Break is over!"

"But I…" I said as Ashley disconnected.

That night was celebrated by cheers and excitement. After I got a call from Jordyn who informed me that Milo and Kevin went there as well, I warmed up to the idea of going to Reglington.

Soon it was time for bed. This was when the strange things began to happen.

Now normally I go to sleep and dream, when I dream I go to the 'Waiting Place' Where I meet up with Mary. But that's not what happened this time.

I was sitting in the waiting place when suddenly someone who should have been there was there. Remember back in chapter two? That weird guy who gave me that tidbit about how I might get Mary back?

He was there.

"Hello?" I called out confused.

"Hello." He said as if he knew I was going to be here. "How are you today? Did you ever get your sister back from Tiki Town, Timbuktu? Or did that Ape man win?"

I was very weirded out. I'll admit that on the VERY rare occasion when people find this place, but they never have any recollection of the outside world.

"Um, no. I did." I said simply.

"Now Selena, tell me. Have you had any weird feelings lately?" he asked me as if he was a doctor talking to a patient.

I widened my eyes in shock. Ok, this was messed up. First, he got in here. Second, he had recollections of the world outside. Third, he knew who I was!

Luckily Mary had taught me what to do. We had a method of how to get rid of people and wipe their minds of this place so they never find it again. I felt the 'magic' build inside of me. Its little stinging pricks attacked my hands as I held onto it. I put a comfortable smile on my face. "How about we go on an adventure? Where would you like to go?"

He looked at me amusingly. "An Adventure eh? Where to? Somewhere exotic like the African jungle maybe…" he said and as he did the world turned into an African jungle.

I stared in amazement at the world around me. How had he done this? When Mary "made" this place for us to meet in our sleep, she had made it so only we could control what happened. I certainly hadn't made it a jungle!

"Or maybe somewhere more relaxing like the Australian Beach?" he said as the jungle dissolved and I was suddenly on the white sandy beaches of Australia, looking out at the water. The breeze flowed gently and relaxing. The air smelt like the sea.

"Stop that!" I yelled. "That's it! Screw it! I don't care but I'm going to eject you from here if you remember or not!" I said. I just hoped that if he came back Mary would be there to deal with it better.

With that I released the "magic thing" (that I now had in dream world) and the world dissolved and Australia and the man disappeared. Only I may have charged it too much because the WHOLE world dissolved and I fell into a dark room with an annoying beeping sound, it grew louder and louder till I could no longer take it. I felt my ear drums popping and the world breaking and a high pitched scream, the world began to shake.

I awoke to my alarm clock and Mary shaking me awake. "Huh? Wha- what happened?" I asked groggily. I sat up and Mary hit the top of the alarm to silence it. I looked at Mary, looking completely innocent. As if she HADNT forgotten to show up and leave me with the crazy man from the park. I scowled. "Where-Were-You!" I yelled smacking her arm between words (for which I was smacked upside the head harshly) "You never showed up! And I had to deal with a Dream Crasher ALL BY MYSELF!"

"So?" she said simply. "You know what to do about them!"

I was about to tell her about the crazy man who had been there, but just as I was about I heard a very angry 'NO!' in my mind and I got a sharp pain in my head, as if I was blocked from saying it.

Mary looked at me for a moment and sniffed. She then dragged me out of bed and our day went on as usual.

Until I went to sleep that night…


	10. The Part Where School Begins

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Nine:**

_**The Part Where School Begins**_

The day finally came, the first day of school! Apparently switching the calendar back to July at Midnight didn't work, (Never trusting Yahoo! Answers AGAIN! And now I owe Mary $5!) The Alarm clock sounded at 6:30am and I sleepily flopped my hand around on top of the clock till I hit the button. I hoped that if no one had time to respond to the alarm we would just stay asleep and I wouldn't have to go.

Mary on the other hand, thought differently and woke me up not even a minute later (God I hate her perfection sometimes!). She shook me roughly as she usually does; I would have gotten up then, if I wasn't being forced to go to a Private School! Not just any stupid Private School, NO, so Fancy, Prestigious, world famous Private School for the Arts. I didn't wanna go! I wanted to go to Public School! But no, why should anyone care about what I want! Ms Whimsnap didn't care! Daddy didn't care when I told him I didn't want to accept the offer! Grandmother and Chrissy wouldn't listen; Even Mary told me I was being juvenile and foolish for not taking the offer (not that it mattered because dad accepted for me!).

"All I'm gonna say is this," I announced at the breakfast table. It had been awkwardly silent because the whole house had heard the 'Epic Battle' between Mary and me about making me wear my School Uniform. (Looking back I am very impressed as well as ashamed of myself for the extent of this battle,) She literally chased me around the house slowly forcing an item of the uniform on one at a time. "Everyone in this house had better sleep with their eyes open tonight!" I threatened. Nobody took me seriously, nor did I really expect them too. They were all use to my empty threats, I made them as often as Mary used to, according to grandmother.

I debated 'accidentally' spilling my breakfast on my uniform so I could get out of going. (I only had one at this time that Jordyn had given me), I guess I forgot to see if a certain someone was listening in my head because at that moment Mary said to me. "Don't even think about it Selena Abigail Banks! If even one drop of food falls on that you will regret it! And I will make you wear it to school no matter what had 'spilt' on it, don't think I wont!"

Daddy sighed. "Selly, come on. Please be reasonable. People took great lengths to get you this; it would be rude to do this after how much work they put in. Besides I cannot get you into Public school till next semester."

"Who's fault is that?" I muttered under my breath.

"The Point Is, All you have to do is a semester, if it is That Terrible and Awful you can switch next semester. Deal?"

"Do I have any other choice?" I asked hopefully.

Mary shook her head. "Absolutely not!" she said bluntly as father nodded in agreement.

I thought for a moment. "Well, I could always drop out…" I began as a joke, but one that was placed at the wrong time, because both Daddy and Mary gave me a really intense look.

"No, you cannot!" they said in unison.

"Selly please, have your attitude fixed by the time you get home." He asked me. "I have someone important coming to dinner tonight and I would like ALL of you to help me make a good impression.

"Who is it?" Christianna asked curiously. "A Client or a Co-worker?"

"Something like that…"

Grandmother tried to hide it, but I could see her knowing smile. Something told me this wouldn't be work related. But what could it be?

Mary too looked as if she knew something that I didn't, but instead of a knowing smile, she bit her lip and stiffened. As if she was trying to hide her dislike of whatever this was. I was very confused.

_What's going on Mary?_

_**Nothing.**_

_Don't lie to me Mary! You know I hate it when you do!_

_**How dare you accuse me of such a thing!**_

_Don't even try that, did you forget that I KNOW when you're lying thanks to that damn bird resting upstairs!_

_**I know, and I wish I could tell you. But I have been sworn to secrecy by your father and I need you to respect that!**_

_Fine then, I will. _ I lied as I began to hack into Mary mind to find out what was going on. Only Mary caught me and to get me to stop. When no one was looking, she picked up her fork and poked herself, the same location where I had my mark.

And because of that "connection", whenever one of us felt pain, we both did. Like If I broke my arm and couldn't move it, Mary's arm would feel as if it was broken and be unable to use it without causing great pain.

Only I happened to have the added bonus of extra pain because when she poked herself with the fork there. It was as if I poked myself with the fork there, so I felt the pain of being stabbed with a fork where my mark was. And that mark usually felt like hell to begin with, imagine being stabbed with a knife & times it by 2 and you'll get the idea of what it felt like.

The stinging caused my eyes to water, and the agony was unbearable. I clutched my chest, Grandmother Jane looked at Mary with subtle accusation and Father looked at me concerned. Mary gasped, as I muttered some very, well… unrepeatable words to Mary as she ushered me out of the room. Once alone, I began to yell at her.

"Holy… What the hell...Why would you…goddamnit!" I moaned miserably as the pain slowly subsided.

"I'm sorry; I didn't realize the extent of the pain that would occur."

"Oh, well if you didn't mean to cause me THAT MUCH pain by STABBING US WITH A FORK, then that's a totally different story!" I muttered sarcastically.

After a few minutes, we went back into the dinning room where grandmother had already given an excuse for out sudden outburst and departure.

At 8am, Jordyn, Milo and Kevin were at my door. I said my goodbyes and tried one more time to get out of going (failed obviously), they (being Mary and my dad) both lifted me up, each one holding an arm, and carried me to the door. There they handed me forcefully to Kevin and Milo, as I kicked and flailed! I did not like being treated this way.

"Take her!" Mary said, brushing her self off from the marks that were where my 'dirty' shoes had been kicking her.

"Please, she is yours!" My dad said as he put on his work coat and picked up his briefcase.

I'll admit, it wasn't that bad. But still not what I wanted so I made sure to be at least half miserable to keep everything in balance. The morning was pretty good; I had History, Music Instrumental (Which is what they call Music Class without any vocal work), and English. That afternoon I had Drama, Vocal and my open course was writing (which had units for Film and TV/ Stage and even a unit on Writing Music Lyrics).

When I got to lunch I met up with Jordyn and the guys. Milo sat next to me. "How's the Prep School working for you cos'?" he asked me.

I rolled my eyes, "its ok, you seem to forget that I went to on back in NYC, so it's not as If I don't know how these things work. Jordyn sat next to me, and Kevin sat on the table in front of us. "Too cool for the stool?" I asked sarcastically.

Milo and Jordyn laughed lightly as Kevin chuckled. "Nah, I just like to be comfortable when I eat, and I can not be comfortable sitting on the bench.

"I see." I said as I took a bite of my lunch.

Lunch passed and I had Drama, which was fun. Then after Drama is when the REAL drama started, so to speak. I had Vocal with Kevin, so I sat next to him. When our teacher came in the class silenced, not out of fear though, out of anticipation. I didn't get much of a chance to get a look at her because she came in and sat down at the baby grand near the front of the class and began to play.

Beautiful music filled the classroom as she began to play "How Long Has This Been Going On?" by George Gershwin for the Musical _'Funny Face',_ as she sang along. Her voice was as wonderful as her piano playing. She played the last note and the classroom exploded with thunderous applause, Even I was cheering because of how wonderfully she had played and sung. She stood up from behind the Baby Grand and took a bow. She was tall, with long, brunette hair. Her eyes were a dark brown and they gazed at the class gently. She addressed us with a Floridian accent (although I am still unsure what type of one). "Hello and welcome, for those of you who do not know me, I am Ms. Bronson, Ashlyn Bronson. Yes, I am one of those teachers who doesn't care if her students know her first name. Welcome to Music: Vocal…" The class began and I'll be the first to admit this, please don't hate me but, Ms. Bronson's One class was better than ALL of the classes at Dowsley. COMBINED! (Please don't hate me Dowsley; I still love you but… IT WAS BETTER!) About 5 minutes left in class remained when it all would begin; Ms. Bronson suddenly called for everyone's attention. We all immediately fell silent and stopped what we were doing. "I almost forgot, it's that time again. Time for the National Youth Artist Music Competition, or as it's more commonly known as "the NYAM"" she said pronouncing it as "Nye-am" "And this year you are all eligible to enter. I will be handing out an information sheet for all those who are interested. Please return the attached form to me by next Friday afternoon to be allowed to enter… Although, I am going to give you the same warning I give every year to those who enter, Do not let the game get the best of you, I know you are all thinking 'I'm not that foolish to get sucked into this', but then again; so did all of the others who got sucked into this game. I will not deny that this competition has the ability to change your life dramatically, just don't let it change you…." Ms. Bronson was cut off by the bell, and our class headed for the door as she handed out the papers to everyone as they left. Kevin turned to me. "this again… you going to enter?" "Huh? Oh I don't know? I was never one for competition. I've been known to put my head in the game a bit too much at times…, just ask my nanny…" I said remembering 'Operation: Scary Mary' back from New York I felt something grab my arm as I headed out the door. "Huh?" I turned to see the hand belonged to Ms. Bronson. "Hello, Ms. Banks, I was wondering if I might have a word with you?" she asked me sweetly with her Floridian twang. "Um…sure?" I said walking back into the classroom, quickly thinking in my head of any thing I may have done to get me in trouble on the first day. Because being at Dowsley taught me that when a teacher asks to see you after class, it's never good. Ms. Bronson walked over to me and sat in her desk. Before she even said a word I instantly found myself blabbing out: "I swear I didn't do it, but if I did I didn't mean to… I'm trying to be good this year…" I said awkwardly. "Whoa, whoa. Selena I think you misunderstand why were here. You're not in trouble." She said fighting off a grin at my crazy outburst.  
"Oh," I said weakly. "I see, sorry, years at Dowsley have taught me otherwise." "That's partly why I wanted to talk to you, not to sound strange but I have taken the liberty of looking into you a bit, I have found you to be rather interesting, if I may say so." She said getting up from the desk and walking in front of it and sitting on it's ledge. "Me? Why?" I asked stupidly. "Well, you definitely caused some curiosity when you were accepted only last week, after we had stopped accepting students for this year back in March. Plus you had a very strong recommendation from Yolanda Whimsnap, her opinion is held quite highly here." "Why is that? I mean she runs a school in New York, why would I school in London care about her opinion?" I asked feeling stupider by the minute. "Well her grandfather founded this school…" she said simply. "But that is beside the point; you have had quite a story so far. And from what I hear, you are very musically gifted yourself." "I wouldn't go that far, Ms. Whimsnap has been prone to exaggeration." I said feeling my cheeks go red. "Is she? Do you mind setting the record straight for me?" she asked, I was about to respond when she silenced me. "Not that way… she handed me a piece of sheet music. "That way." She said leading me to the baby grand. I was hesitant. "But Ms Bronson, I haven't been able to practice for a few months due to the overseas move… I'm out of practice…" "play." She commanded in a teacher voice and I fell silent and began to play the song… 


	11. The Part Where We All Have News

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Ten:**

_**The Part with Surprises (that may not all be good)**_

I rushed home; I couldn't wait to share the news. I knew I'd have to deal with their sarcastic comments based on my…umm…"Behaviour" from that morning, but that didn't matter. My future was on the line now and it was looking bright! I rushed home without stopping when Milo and Jordyn spied me, obviously Kevin told them that I had been kept after class and were curious as to what I could have done.

I sprinted to Cherry-Tree Lane where I dashed across the park, I was about to cross the street at the designated area when the light was green when suddenly a car hurled down the road and ALMOST hit me. I was frozen in fear, with memories of when I had been hit back in New York, those quickly turned into more horrible memories when I realized this was where my mom had been hit years ago. The car stopped just in time as I got control of my body back and quickly dashed to the other side.

The driver rolled down the window. Out poked the head of a woman. She appeared to be about thirty-ish I would guess, and had blonde curly hair. "Hey, kid. What do you think you are doing?"

"Excuse me? But YOU Ran the light!" I snapped back, almost priggishly as Mary would say.

"You stood there like a statue in the middle of the road!" she barked back.

"You almost hit a kid! You saw me crossing yet you still ran the light and didn't even bother to slow till the last second."

"Well I Never…" she began and then I flipped her off and walked home.

I normally don't flip people off; it's stupid and very rude. But she had spoilt my good mood so she deserved it! I walked up through the gate at Number Seventeen and pulled the house key from my pocket and went inside. "Hello! I'm home!" I called out. "Anybody Home?"

Grandmother came downstairs "Selena? Is That You?" she asked. "Oh Hello. How was school?"

"Fine." I said, not wanting to give the news away before everybody was present. "Um, where is everyone?"

"Well Mary has gone to pick up Christianna from school, and Jeffrey ran to the store and will be back in a few minutes." She answered.

I nodded. "Alright." I went upstairs to change out of my uniform and to put my stuff away. When I returned downstairs, Daddy was there bringing in bags of groceries.

He noticed me descend from the staircase and spoke up; "Can you grab some of the others Selly?"

"Yup." I said. I headed out to the car to grab a bag when I found myself staring dumbstruck. That blonde bitch who had almost hit me was back and was now STEALING OUR GROCERIES! "Hey! What the Hell? Wasn't bad enough to almost kill me with your car, but now your following me and stealing my food? What is wrong with you?"

She looked up at me from behind the bread bag. "Excuse me? This is not YOUR food!"

We went back and forth for a moment until I snatched the bag from her hand and we began to fight over it.

"Let Go!"

"You!"

"Get over yourself!"

"What are you doing?"

"Girls, girls… please no need for this… there are enough groceries to go around." Came my dad's voice.

"Dad, this woman almost ran me over and is now taking our food!"

"No, she picked me up and is helping me bring everything inside, Come Tamera, let me show you to the kitchen."

"Wait… excuse me?" I called out, but nobody heard me.

I watched then talk together as Mary and Christianna approached us. It was then I figured it out.

"They're here." I said.

"Chrissy, help bring in the bags." Mary added.

Christianna picked up a bag with eggs sticking out and went inside. I turned to Mary sharply. "How could you?" I half asked confused and half said demandingly. I then dropped the bag of veggies on the porch and stormed inside and upstairs.

I heard her call after me but I slammed the bedroom door as she reached the foot of the stairs. I actually hadn't gone inside because I saw as I came up, dad come out and over to Mary. I wanted to hear what would be said. So I sat out front the nursery door, hidden behind the wall, listening intently. I then heard my dad ask her. "What's wrong Marianna?"

"Selena figured it out… and now she is mad…" Mary replied simply. I could feel her staring at the wall I hid behind… as if she suspected I was listening in.

"What part of it has her so angry?"

"Right now it's me knowing and not telling her… but expect that to change relatively fast,"

"Why? You think she can't stay mad at you?"

"No, I think that once I explain that I wanted to, but was told if I did I would be fired. She'll be unable to be mad about that, yet she'll want to still be mad so she'll find something else to angry about. My bet is on YOU not telling them sooner."

"I see… but in my opinion… she'll probably go to the fact that my girlfriend almost killed her by accident today, with her car."

It was official now… he had actually said it. I couldn't believe it

I crept inside the room as I heard Mary Climb up the stairs and enter the room. "Did you get all of that?"

I nodded.

"Are you still mad at me?"

I did that thing, where you tilt your hand from side-to-side that signifies "so-so". I can never remember what that's called, but you know what I mean!

"I'm mostly mad that he didn't say anything before bringing her home… I mean really! Doesn't he remember what happened when he unexpectedly sent you to get me for the first time?"

Mary sighed with a small smiling, remembering the incident well…

"…I mean I almost had you arrested!"

_At about 3:45 Marianna was marching up the steps at Dowsley Academy for the Arts. The building was large and grand, and from what Marianna could tell it was elite too. The students dressed in Uniform outfits, which appeared to come in different variety. There were oxford shirts which came in white, Golf tee which was in Light blue and white, Long Black pleaded skirt, dress pants, a tie, and outdoor weather apparel like sweaters and coats. Marianna wandered the Main floor, as attempted to find the Auditorium._

_As she walked a smartly dressed woman approched her. "excuse me, can i help you?"_

_Marianna turned to her. "Yes actually, I'm looking for the auditorium. I'm here to get Selena Banks."_

_The woman looked over Marianna. A Nice girl like her, looking for Selena. She had her pity. Selena came with trouble, and a mouth to match. "It's just down the hall, turn a left at the corner"_

_"Thank you." Marianna said, and she followed her directions._

_Marianna finally reached the large oak doors that led to the Auditorium. She opened the door and couldn't believe her eyes._

_The auditorium was a large and beautiful theatre. On stage, there was what appeared to be a rehearsal. On stage was two people. One male, one female. They appeared to be in a disagreement. The male was dressed in a snappy striped shirt with a lime green hat and pants. He was very clean looking and very snazzy. The girl was wearing half knee high pink sparkly boots, A knee length bright pink glitter skirt, a white tank with light pink rhinestones and a cropped pink leather sparkly jacket. She had curly blonde hair and looked familiar._

_They two were singing a song about wanting to be famous.  
"I WANT IT ALL..."  
they sang cheerily._

_"You want the world nothing less then the glam and the press to be giving you the best reviews." The duo sang together._

_Extra Dancers in the background behind them were showing off their moves as they began to list a bunch of places._

_"Tokyo"_

_"Moscow"_

_"Bollywood"_

_The chours began to slowly hum 'We want it'. By the time they hit 'It', the duo quickly chanted 'We want it all' They held the last note for a moment and the music cut as the lights flashed and miniature sparklers went off._

_Marianna stood in shock. This was so surreal. She'd never seen anything like this before…_

_First of all. What were half of these Females wearing! They were showing more leg then she was ever used to._

_Second, What was this? The sparklers, the music, the craziness on stage. What kind of rehearsal was this. It didn't seem like anything she'd ever seen before._

_Marianna stared in confusion. It took her a moment to remember why she was there. When she did, she immediately walked up to the front of the stage. There was an woman upfront. She was giving complements and criticism to the performers on stage. So naturally, Marianna decided that she was the director._

_"Excuse me?" Marianna asked, tapping the director on the shoulder. The director turned to her. "One moment dear." She said._

_The director walked on stage and congratulated the duo Marianna had been watching earlier. They looked perfectly happy, cheerful and pleasant. After she was finished, the director addressed everyone. "All right everyone. Take 5, after we'll go over the upcoming auditions and then you can all leave. Please put all costumes BACK ON THE APPROPRIATE HANGER! Same with all props. They must all go back to their proper stop!"_

_"Yes Mrs. Beasley." The students repiled monotonely, as they did as they were instructed._

_The director turned right back to Marianna. "Sorry to keep you waiting." She said as she walked back over to her. "How may I be of service?" she asked._

_"I am here to get Selena. I'm am her newly hired nanny, and I have been requested to introduce myself to her and bring her home by dinner time." Marianna said, stopping herself when she realised she was babbling. Why was she babbling? Was she really that unsure about meeting this person._

_"Alright." She said. Mrs. Beasley turned back to the stage. "Selena!" she barked. "Come here."_

_Marianna was expecting the brunette girl from the photos to come over. Instead the blonde 'Glittery' one waltzed over. "Yes, Mrs Beasley?" she asked ever-so sweetly._

_"Some one here to see you, She is your new Nanny." Mrs. Beasley said. She looked as if she was curious as to what would happen. As if she knew something that Marianna didn't . "I'll leave you two to get acquainted."_

_Selena was smiling sweetly. So sweet. Too Sweet. Something didn't seem right!_

_Marianna looked up at the blonde girl. Almost instantly, after the director walked away. Selena's sweet, angelic smile and expression, Dropped to a cold, hating, and annoyed one._

_"What the hell do you want?" she demanded rudely. Her fake sweetness had instantly melted away._

_Marianna was slightly taken aback by this. Never in all her years had this happened. "I am Marianna. Your Nanny. Your Father has requested that I accompany you home this evening."_

_Selena snorted angrily. "Great! Now I need an escort. Dammit! Hold on, lemme change!"_

_Selena walked backstage. Marianna needed a moment. This may be harder than she thought. If that was a preview on what the rest of this would be like then there were some rocky waters up ahead. Selena hadn't even been gone for a minute, when she emerged from backstage._

_Marianna couldn't believe her eyes! This Selena wasn't anything like that Glamour girl she'd seen on stage. The pink and the glitter had been traded in for some old worn dark jeans, a long white tee shirt, a yellow slightly puffy pleather jacket that cut off halfway down the stomach and bright red converse. As if the wardrobe wasn't enough, The first Selena had left with bouncy, girlie, pretty wavy curly hair. This New Selena had long dark kind of twisted hair. On her back was a worn Camo backpack by 'Dickies'. Her hair was in a basic ponytail. Although it worked on her, it was like a new phenomenon for Marianna. She'd never seen anyone dress like this. She'd never seen so much skin show. Their arms, upper chests and legs were showing like crazy. They wore freakishly high-heels and were constantly talking into their cellphones._

_"Ready to go or what!" Selena barked._

_"Huh? Oh, yes…, Come along." Marianna said as she led Selena out of the auditorium. Selena Instantly pulled herself. "I know my way around here damn it. I've been going here for years. I'm not a dog. I can take care of myself. We don't need you. Your only here because my dad thinks your going to be some sort of punishment for me because we got into an argument. Once he gets over it, you'll be gone. So just stay out of my way and we'll get along great!" Selena said acting just awful to Marianna._

_Marianna didn't seemed bothered one bit. That Bothered Selena. "What your name again?" she asked._

_"Marianna, but I must say. I do not quite agree with you. If you could take care of yourself you wouldn't need to be punished and hence that would mean I wouldn't be here. Now you listen to me. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. So you'd better get used to me!" Marianna said in an icy tone._

_Marianna was giving Selena such a cold glare she could feel it in her blood. Selena just ignored it. "Is that a threat or a promise!" she demanded._

_"Whats the difference?" Marianna asked._

_"If I have to tell you, you'll never learn." She said. Selena then walked away at a rather quick speed. Marianna tried hard to hurry up and catch her. Selena looked over her shoulder and saw Marianna coming. "I just have one thing to say. If you knew what was best, you'd back off."_

_"You're not a very big threat to me Selena!" Marianna stated honestly._

_"Don't say I didn't warn you…" Selena said in a cutesy mocking tone._

_Selena suddenly bolted. Marianna sped after her a lightning speed. Selena kept looking over her shoulder and she couldn't believe how she was tailing her. Selena looked ahead. There was a policeman a few crossroads away. She had a plan. Selena sneakily slowed down without her knowing. Marianna finally caught up and grabbed her arm.  
"Selena! Don't Run Away From Me! Let me take you home with me now!" Marianna shouted over the voices._

_"What?" Selena called pretending to not hear her. "Say that again."_

_"Let me take you home with me now!" she repeated._

_The Policeman began to walk down the street in their direction. "LOUDER I CANT HERE YOU!" she shouted._

_"LET ME TAKE YOU HOME WITH ME!" she shrieked._

_Selena's eyes widened. People stopping to see what was going on. "I don't want to go with you. Leave me alone stranger." She said as a terrified look came over her face and she began to runaway from Marianna._

_Marianna watched her run, so confused. Marianna was about to give up, when she noticed something. Or more correctly, lack of something. Selena had run off with her bag! Marianna's eyes widened and ran after her. "Selena come back here!" Marianna called after her._

_Selena heard her and began to run faster. "Leave me alone. I don't want to go with you. I want to go to my home you freak."_

_The police officer was watching as Selena ran by him. He caught her arm. "Whats the matter child?"_

_"Let me go, she's trying to get me to go with her. I Don't even know her!" she cried as she broke free from the officer and ran again._

_The officer stood dumbstruck at Selena's abruptness. Marianna pushed passed him calling her name. The officer instantly knew who she was. A pedophile!_

_He called for backup and ran after Marianna, who was running after Selena, who was running until Marianna was no longer a problem in her life._

_Selena quickly ducked into a corner, as Marianna and the officer ran right past her. Selena, after she made sure that they weren't around, laughed wickedly to herself. Sometimes she was just to good to believe!_

_Now Selena only made one mistake. She hadn't gone straight home. Selena decided she'd give it an hour just to seem more realistic. She also needed to get her story straight on why Marianna wasn't with her. She had figured it out and was now on her way home._

_"Oh daddy, it was awful. She had this crazed look in her eyes and it was terrifying. She then said she wanted to take me away. But I didn't want to go! So I ran away and hid for a bit. Until I was sure I was safe." Selena rehearsed._

_Selena arrived at the front door and rang the door bell. She waited for someone to answer, when she heard a siren behind her. Selena turned around and saw a cop car pull up in front of the house. Out walked the officer from the street and the chief. She reconisged him from the times she's been 'downtown'._

_The officer then went to the back door and opened it. Out stepped a tall, thin woman. With Peering Blue eyes that she could see from all the way she was standing!_

_"Ah crap!" Selena said._

_To make matters worse, as they were walking over to Selena. The front door opened. Selena turned and her dad was standing in the doorway. "What's going on?" he said as soon as he saw the oh to familiar flashing lights. "Please Selena, please. Tell me this isnt about you!" Jeffrey begged._

_"Well…not technically." Selena said meekly._

_The officer, chief and Marianna walked up to Selena and her father. "How can I help you officers?"_

_"Nothing today, sir." The officer told him. "You daughter can though. After you ran, and we caught Marianna here. We got reason to believe that maybe what you were saying isn't true."_

_" I don't understand sir…" Selena lied, hoping to find someway out of this._

_"Is this, or is this not your nanny!" the chief snapped._

_Selena looked over at her dad, who looked confused. She knew she couldn't go through with it now. "Its my nanny…" she said glumly and defeated._

_Marianna had a tiny victory smile form at the ends of her mouth. But it disappeared as fast as it came._

_The police left and let Selena alone out front the house with her confused father, and her probably pissed off nanny._

_"What was that all about?" Jeffrey asked to the both of them, but looking at Selena expecting her to answer._

_What am I supposed to say? To prove that I can be responsible I had the cops think the new nanny was a pedophile who wanted to kidnap me. When she was really only after me because I stole her bag and ran off with it… __Selena thought to herself. __Yeah, because that after all is REAL mature…oh Dammit! I'm screwed!_

_She was doomed!_

_The Cop cars pulled away, and Selena stood awkwardly between her father in the doorway and Marianna behind her. Although she was facing her dad, she could tell that Marianna's icy blue eyes were staring at her from behind. Just like they had back at the school._

_"It's kind of a long story…" Selena began, but before she could continue Marianna cut her off._

_"It was a misunderstanding, Selena ran off with my bag as a joke and when I chased after her they though I was planning to kidnap her." Marianna lied. "Isn't that right Selena."_

_She wasn't asking her if it was right. Marianna was telling her it was and that she'd better go with it. Marianna's lie was so convincing. Mainly because it sounded like something she would do. Selena almost believed it herself. "Yes it is."_

_"What a relief! I guess Marianna was what you needed. Keep it up!" Jeffery said to the two of them. "Now come along. Dinner's ready, and Christianna's waiting to meet you." Jeffery said._

_Jeffery headed inside. Marianna walked inside, passing Selena. She turned to the teenager, who was staring at her curiously. She didn't understand. Why did Marianna lie for her? Selena tried to get her falsely arrested. Most people would have tattled instantly! Yet, Marianna had lied for her. Why?_

_"Are you coming?" she asked her. Something about the way she was looking at her made Selena scared. Selena was not easily scared. Very rarely was she even nervous._

_"Why?" Selena asked her, and she wasn't talking about dinner._

_"Because dinner's ready. Didn't you hear your father?" Marianna said looking subtly pleased with herself._

_"You know damn well what I mean." Selena snapped._

_Marianna and Selena stared each other down. A few moments later Marianna finally spoke. "I never explain anything!" she said and she walked off._

"Yes… you are just lucky that I did get a criminal record. Or else things would have played out VERY DIFFRERNTLY" she said half joking, yet half threatening.

"…well you could always be classified next to Selena…" came the voice of a teasing Christianna as she joined us.

"Oh shut up Christianna… Need I remind you about the park incident and your little con-artist trade?" I said back.

"Whatever. Dad want's everyone downstairs now, he said it's time to make an announcement."

"As if we don't know what it is already?" I said. "Oh… but there may be more than once announcement made." I added remembering why I had been in a rush to get home.

"Really?" said Mary, raising her eyebrow (as she usually does).

So dad finished up the announcement about his new girlfriend Tamera Lawrence. She apparently works at the London office of his and Uncle Jerry's company.

(I still have no idea exactly what they do… maybe one day I'll ask him… if ever I care enough to find out)

We were then called for dinner; about five minutes in I called attention. "Ahem…"\

Everyone turned my way. "I forgot that I myself had an announcement to make. Today I had my first day at PRIVATE school…." I said giving dad and Mary harsh looks on the word 'private'. "In which, last period I had Music: Piano/Vocal. My teacher is Ashlyn Bronson, Miss Bronson. And at the end of the period she spoke to us about the NYAM…"

"the NYAM?" said Grandmother and Tamera.

"What's the NYAM?" Chrissy asked.

"National Youth Artist Music competition." Said Tamera. "It's a very prestigious competition that lasts for a few months."

"The winner receives $10,000 and a contract…" Grandmother continued.

"… With Parrot Records, this makes the person to be a guaranteed success because Parrot Records is one of the biggest labels in the world!"

"Yes… I know… and Miss Bronson thinks I should win and has already entered me and all I need is you to sign the permission form."

"Really?" said dad.

I Pulled out the papers I had (conveniently) with me and handed them over.

(Alright I'm going to save you the trouble reading a cliché scene that happens all the time. I'm going to summarize it for you.

Dad says he's unsure

I say he has nothing to worry about

he said he's concerned that it will monopolize my life

I say I can keep a balance.

Dad says it would be a privilege and not a priority

I say I know

something bad happens

dad says no

I get mad

Mary &Grandmother talk to dad

Dad agrees and signs the form

All is well.

(See aren't I so nice? I saved you all so much time of lame cliché-ness! You're welcome.)


	12. The Part Where The Plot Starts To Build

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Eleven:**

_**The part where things start to happen**_

So by the next week, Miss Bronson announced that all applications had been submitted and by October we would have the acceptance letters. I was extremely grateful that she had chosen me as her 'personal project' of this year, or else I would have NEVER gotten my audition tape done. I hadn't really told anyone outside of my home that I was participating. I don't really know why, it just seemed strange to be like:

"_Hi, I've come back after leaving suddenly about 8 years ago; I am now very rich and have a strange mark on my chest that attracts a lot of attention. I am the personal project of Miss Bronson and. Oh did I happen to mention I might be participating in a world famous competition after only being here a few months?"_

People already found me strange, I didn't want more attention. Other than that, school was going pretty well, I fit right in (so to speak, due to the previously mentioned) I guess I was born for private school after all. I began to get really close to Milo and Kevin again, and Jordyn and I picked up right from where we left off. Milo used to often come by once a week to see Grandmother before we came; now he was there everyday. Once his parents (my aunt and uncle) Phoebe and Darren Banks came. Everything for once was going good…

That is until I met HER.

I thought Kira back home was annoying, I didn't know _Pain in the Ass_ till I met Kristin. Kristin and I had the pleasure of meeting my second week and boy do I regret it.

We all were getting settled into Ms. Bronson's class, ready to see what Ashlyn had in store for us today. Kevin and I sat next to each other as we pulled out our music folders. Kevin turned to me suddenly and said. "Would you rather pet a squid or hug a beaver?"

"I'd hug the beaver! Squids scare the shit out of me. I cannot even go to a seafood restaurant without flipping out! How about you?" I said.

"I'd rather pet the squid. Beavers have teeth. Beavers bite! With the squid, it's like a peeling off a band-aid. One two three, do it and it's done. The beaver has plenty of opportunity to harm you while you pick it up, squeeze it then put it down again. You can jerk your hand away faster then you can drop the beaver." Kevin stated.

"Still, Squids are scary! Besides, what Beaver would ever dream to mess with me?" I said, thinking about how Animals liked me a bit more since I had gotten _the mark. _

Kevin didn't catch that reference but instead said. "True, I could see you biting the beaver back harder."

I held back my laugh as a tiny, yet very clear and sharp voice came out from behind me. "Excuse me! But that is my chair!"

I turned abruptly to see a thin girl, with curly brunette ringlets. She was standing behind me with crossed arms and a scowl. "Sorry, but it's mine actually." I said trying not to be rude. I was trying to be a good girl this year and NOT make enemies. "I've been sitting here since the first day."

"That may be, but I've been sitting here since the first day three years ago! This is MY chair by Default! Now PLEASE move yourself!" she said snappily.

I felt myself losing patience. "Then you should have sat here on the first day this year! Tough Luck!" She was really getting on my nerves. "Who are you anyways? I've never seen you before!"

Kevin interrupted. "Allow me to introduce you guys." Very unaware of the tension between us at this moment. (Guys!) "This is Kristin Calone. Her dad is a very_ generous_ donator to the school and a member of its council. She WAS the lead vocalist of the class. She was off on some vacation and came back late. Kristin this is Selena, Milo's cousin and friend of Jordyn and her sister in New York."

At that moment Ashlyn Bronson came into the room. "All right class, take your seats. Kristin that includes you! There is an empty seat by the window."

Kristin's expression was awful. "But miss!" she began before she was cut off by Ms Bronson again. "If you don't like it than don't come two weeks late because you've taken daddy's jet to some tropical paradise and expect to be treated like a star when you return."

The whole class did that really immature thing teenagers do when someone gets in trouble and we all go "Oohhhhh!" as Kristin looking shocked at been spoken to that way and sat herself by the window. Giving me nasty looks the whole way and the rest of the class. I guess I had been sending off some angry signals because Mary picked them up on her end and her voice came into my head.

_What's going on?_

_**Sorry to say, but week two and I've already made enemies. There goes THAT New Years resolution…**_

I felt Kristin staring at me all period and I heard the whispers of people talking about what happened. Why did I feel like I had awoken the sleeping giant? (Pearl Harbour Reference… I like history). We went on with the class, as amazing and vibrant as always. Last ten minutes of class I literally could see the excitement and joy melt away as we reached the topic everyone had been waiting for.

"Some of you may have heard from your peers that the letters from the NYAM have arrived. That is correct. All students are receiving these letters right now across the country. Now before I hand them out to you, there are a few things I wish to go over. I can guarantee that more than one of you in this class will be accepted. I can also guarantee that more than half of you will not make it past the first round. What everyone in this class needs to remember is this; this competition is not the most important thing. Don't let it become the most dominate thing in your life. I've seen way too many of these things go by and I've seen way too many people get caught up in it that they lose track of what matters."

I could have sworn that Ms. Bronson gave a sad look to Kristin who was to busy glaring at me to notice. I found that odd but didn't let it bother me. I missed the rest of her speech and before I knew it an envelope was placed in my hand. Kevin raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't enter?" he said.

"I didn't… must be some joke or something…" I said hesitantly. I didn't want to say anything until I knew if I was accepted or not. But I did feel eyes looking at me as I put the envelope in my bag. I also felt daggers coming from Kristin as SHE noticed me put then envelope away. Cheers and disappointed groans filled the classroom. I began to feel anxious but I remained strong.

School ended and I rushed home. The envelope didn't even weigh one pound, but it felt like it was 50 and growing heavier as I grew closer to home. As if, if I didn't open it soon it would explode. I reached the gate of Number 17 and my heart was racing and my palms were sweating. I opened the door and I heard voices calling. I couldn't make them out or what they were saying. All I could do in my state of anxiety was drag myself upstairs into my room, into the bathroom and lock the door. I pulled the envelope out and stared at it intently.

_Selena you can open it. One two three…_

Came the voice of Mary, I would have normally gotten angry at her for picking around my mind but right now I didn't care.

One Two Three….

I opened the bathroom door and I had an audience. Mary was seated on my bed with Christianna, Grandmother was on Chrissy's and Dad came in the door way with Tamera. We stared in silence at each other, until Mary crossed her arms and said, "Well..?" impatiently.

One two three…

"I got it…" I said quietly. "I got it… I got in!"

Eyes went wide all around. "Really!" said Chrissy jumping out of her seat. Dad and grandmother rushed to hug and congratulate me, Chrissy came in after recovering from shock. After the congratulations were said. Dad announced that we'd go out to dinner to celebrate and that I should freshen up. He led Tamera, Grandmother and Chrissy out, leaving Mary alone with me.

"Well…?" I said in the same impatient tone as she had. "Don't you have anything to say?"

Mary's expression softened and broke into a smile and she hugged me. "I'm so proud." She said. (And I refrained from making any sarcastic comment like: yes you are!)

We began talking about it, about how incredible it was, how proud she was, how excited we were. We were going so fast that I felt the excitement build up. We got happier and giddier by the second as we went on and on. I began to feel light headed…

Then I felt REALLY light headed.

I stopped mid sentence and grabbed Mary's shoulder trying to keep my balance as the world grew darker and I fell to the ground. The last sound I heard was Mary calling my name.


	13. The Part My Transformation is Completed

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Twelve:**

_**The part where I complete my transformation**_

I had passed out.

I was in the meeting place of Mary and me for when we sleep, very confused; because I do not know what had caused my fainting. I looked around.

"Hello? Mary? Are you here?" I called out. Then I saw him. That man from before was there. The one from the park that invaded before, I don't know how but I just knew he had something to do with what happened. "Hey! You!" I called out.

He turned around startled. As if he hadn't expected me… then he looked concerned like I wasn't supposed to be there. This had me scared. The meeting place was a place that existed only the mind of Mary and Me. The stray dreamer occasionally can find there way in there but once we remove them they never find there way back. This man shouldn't be here in the first place, but the fact he was already there before I had arrived and Mary was no where to be seen was scary. That would mean he hacked (Somehow) into my brain. "What's going on here?" I asked confused and demanding. (Only I know how to do both perfectly! A least that's what dad says…)

He then ran.

Now adding annoyed to the list of current emotions I ran after him. I ran after him frantically but it was no use. He kept getting farther and farther from me. I was out of breath. I stopped for a second, when I heard a loud CRACK! I looked down and a crack had appeared where I was standing. This wasn't good. I was about to run when the ground collapsed and I fell through the hole. (Just like the last time)The too familiar blackness enveloped me and I 'blacked out' (if that's even possible?)

I awoke abruptly as I felt Mary give me a few sharp shakes. I sat up instantly. I held my head which throbbed like hell and looked at Mary. She looked me over once over with an expression of concern. Then she sat up straightly and said in a tone _so_ like her, "Are you alright?" The way she said it was almost accusingly. As it I had blacked out by something of my own accord. I gave her look.

"Yes I am!" I said.

"Well good. The last thing we need is you to end up in a hospital again! It would be very stressful." She said priggishly.

I could have slapped her. But I didn't (I never would). "I'm sorry, next time I'll plan any blackouts around your schedule!"

Mary looked awful and I gave her an equally terrible one back. We sat in silence for a moment before we both broke and laughed. "Are you sure you are alright?"

She asked me sincerely.

I wanted to tell her the truth, good god did I want to. But it happened again. The voice in my head told me 'No!' and I found myself unable to say that. Instead I nodded my head saying "Yes". We got up off the floor which we had been sitting on; I got changed and went downstairs where everyone was waiting.

"Sorry it took us so long," Mary said. "Selena had a bit of a… delay."

"Oh did she?" Tamera asked curiously… a little too curiously.

"It doesn't matter, let's just get to the restaurant and be fed!" Said daddy as he went out the door, past the gate to where the car was parked on the lane. Tamera followed quickly behind, like a little lost puppy.

Christianna turned to me. "What was this de-"

"Christianna! Let's go!" daddy cut in and Christianna obeyed solemnly.

I slid my coat as Mary did the same and grandmother walked over to us. "What was this delay?" she asked as curiously as everyone else.

I felt not only I but Mary next to me tense up for a second as Mary replied. "Nothing really, she just couldn't find the sweater she wanted." She fibbed. I tried to hide my surprise at the easiness of the lie that came out of her mouth. How easily the lie came. I tried not to let that bug me, Mary and I were past that now. No more lies were between us.

Grandmother however was not stupid. And although that lie would have worked on anybody else (well, maybe not Christianna… but everybody else), but before she could question it, daddy honked the car horn and I linked arms with Grandmother and Mary.

"Come on, dad's waiting and I am starving!" I said as we headed out the door.

Mary and I feeling relieved to have dodged that bullet, and grandmother obviously unhappy that we dodged it headed to the car and drove off.

We all sat at the restaurant about 20 minutes later, my headache from earlier had settled down and we were all waiting for our meals to arrive.

Christianna was in the middle of telling everyone about the time when Gregory had ambushed her, Mary and me with goo balloons last year. Everyone was howling. Mary looked at me; I could feel her eyes piercing at me, knowing what my cell phone had once held.

"No way Chrissy, you have to be lying!" said daddy laughing.

I laughed along too. "No way, I have proof."

_Don't do it Selena._

_**Sorry, I GOTTA. It's too funny**_

_Selena…_

I gave her a sneaky smile and whipped out my cell phone. Mary eyes widened. "Selena no!" she cried out.

"No?" Tamera asked, "No what?"

"Marianna got hit with one of the goo balloons after Selena sent her to shut the window." Christianna said

"No!" Grandmother cried out in disbelief.

I clicked the buttons on my phone until an image of Mary splattered with green sticky goo all over her head appeared on my screen. "Yes, see…" I said showing it to everybody.

"You still have it on your phone!" said Mary through the sudden laughter as the photo was passed around the table.

Grandmother passed the phone back to me after everyone looked; I opened my bag and slipped it in then took a sip of my orange juice. Tamera turned to me quizzically. She had been doing that ever since we entered the car. Maybe she was suspicious and like Grandmother she didn't quite by our story… or any of the stories we had been fibbing out recently.

I may not have mentioned it before, but a lot of strange things kept happening lately, things even Mary couldn't explain. Like things falling off shelves suddenly when me and Chrissy fought, or when I saw this scarf that I wanted and couldn't afford about halfway home while cutting through the park I turned to find it quickly following behind me. Dad, Tamera, Chrissy and Mary had been with me when the scarf thing happened and it took forever to convince dad that I hadn't stolen it (I mean, it wasn't in my bag or anything, it was _running_ after me down the path). Tamera on the other hand wasn't so convinced, and even though she did say it, I could see it in her eyes.

I had worn the scarf to spite her, for some reason it made her angry whenever I wore it. "I see you dug out the scarf again…" she said.

Dad looked over and sighed. "I didn't Steal It!" I said so that everyone at the table would hear.

"Here we go again…" Chrissy muttered silently.

Tamera clasped her hands together, "I never once implied that you did." She said, sounding offended but looking accusing.

I decided right then that I didn't like her.

"Yes you did!" I said starting to sound angry.

"Selena…" dad said warningly.

"There is no need to get upset here…" Tamera said

"GIRLS!" dad yelled which silenced us both. "Girls, come on. I can't have my girl and my little girl fighting over something silly."

I caught Mary rolling her eyes at the 'my girl' comment. (Dad should REALLY stop trying to use 'modern lingo'.)

I sighed, he was right. It was stupid, we were fighting over a scarf! "I'm sorry…" I said quietly

"Me too…" Tamera mumbled.

I THOUGHT that was it, but as the waitress came to our table with our meals, I caught Tamera giving me a nasty glare. I was very upset. I was about to speak when I heard a voice fill my head.

_Just let it go, Selena. It's not worth it..._

_**Your right Mary…**_

I kept my mouth shut, but I could feel my blood boiling, my anger rising. As the waitress placed Tamera's soup before her, I stared at it wishing life was a cartoon and the soup would just fountain up and spray her in the face.

Then as if god answered my prayers a funnel of soup appeared and shot up splashing Tamera square in the face.

I stared in amazement as everyone looked curiously at her. I couldn't figure out how it happened… unless…

_**Mary, YOU DIDN'T!**_

_I didn't…_

_**Don't be modest! That was amazing**_

_Selena no, I'm serious… That wasn't me_

_**Then who was it?**_

"Selena?" dad shouted. "Did you…"

"Yes!" Tamera shouted instantly. "She picked up the bowl and splashed me with hot soup!"

"What? No I didn't!"

"Selena!" Dad said angrily, "How could you? What did we just discuss?"

"Daddy I swear…" I started before Tamera cut me in so rudely.

"Don't listen to her, she's lying. How else could it have happened?"

"Selena I am very angry with you, you are grounded!"

"What? For something I didn't do?" I screamed, forgetting we were in a restaurant.

"SELENA THAT'S ENOUGH!"

I fell silent, not because I was being obedient (When am I Ever?), but because he scared me. He hadn't yelled at me like that since September 2009 B.M. (Before Mary). Although I was still angry, I so desperately wanted to clock him over the head with one of these buns they had provided.

"Ow!" said Daddy as he held a bun with one had and his head with another. "Selena!"

"What? I couldn't have possibly done that! I was crossing my arms looking pissed off!" I said.

"Selena haven't you done enough for the day?" Tamera snapped.

"Excuse me miss high and mighty…" I said

"Girls stop!" Grandmother interjected.

"Must we always fight when the family's together?" Christianna chimed in.

"This is ridiculous." Dad said

"I Will not be spoken to like that…"

"Who died and made you queen?"

"This is not proper behavior…"

"I wanna go home…"

"I am very unhappy right now…"

"Excuse me!" A waiter interrupted. "You are causing much of a disturbance, Could you kindly lower your voices or carry this on else where." He said rudely.

"Oh just leave us be!" I said to the waiter, "And go pester some other table. Go on!" I yelled angrily. As I said it the waiter suddenly widened his eyes an ran.

The room started to shake rapidly. "Earthquake!" somebody shouted, As everyone ducked under the tables. Things were falling, the chandelier crashed to the floor and the food sprayed all over the floor and walls. I clutched the table leg.

_Selena! Take a deep breath and calm down!_

_**Calm down? How there is a massive earthquake happening, we could all die.**_

_Just trust me!_

So I did. I took a deep breath and felt relaxed, suddenly the shaking stopped. Everyone paused for a moment the carefully climbed out from underneath their tables and looked around. No damage what so ever, everything was as it was before the quake. Everyone was dumbfounded. They looked at each other the rude waiter ran to the center of the dinning room.

"Err, I guess god had mercy on us… carry on with your meals…"he said as people went back to their dinners.

_We need to talk, in private. NOW!_

Something in her tone made me just do as she said, a sense of urgency or something coated her voice. I nudged Chrissy. "Fake sick, Mary says so." I whispered.

She nodded, and then gave the most sickly and loudest moan ever. "I don't feel well Daddy, I want to go home…" she faked.

Dad looked at her; her face looked as if she was in discomfort. And as we hoped, he bought it. "You don't look to good pumpkin."

"Mary and I could take her home." I said sounding as if I was trying to be helpful.

Dad looked at me suspiciously, but I guess something told him to let it go because 15 minutes and a 20 dollar cab ride later we were marching upstairs to the nursery. "Alright Mary, were here. What was so important?" I asked.

"I had to get you out of there before you caused anything else to happen." She said as she looked me over carefully.

"What? You don't think I did all those things do you? I'm innocent! Honest."

"No your not, but I don't think you intended for everything to happen, it was all an accident but you did cause it."

"What are you saying?"

Mary looked me dead in the eye. "I'm saying the side effects of that mark have finally kicked in." I looked at her blankly. "Your 'powers' are finally here!"


	14. The Part With Strange Events

_Authors Note:_

_Hey guys, Sorry for my prolonged absence. It's been one thing after another here. I was busy with Studio 12 (my acting group at School) performances and our holiday show rehearsals and performances all for October, November, and December. And in an ironic twist, as soon as I was able to write again, I lost internet. So stories will STILL BE POSTED but on a weekly, Occasionally Bi-Weekly basis. But when I do post it'll be more than one chapter. So The story will be told, just you'll have to wait until weekends until the internet is sorted. Sorry, thanks for all your understanding._

_**Patricia Creamer**_

**~PART ONE~**

**Chapter Thirteen:**

_**The part where things get more complicated (for me anyways)**_

"Excuse me?" I asked Mary. "Wanna run that by me again?"

She repeated herself.

I looked at her in confusion (a lot like how Christianna looks at us most of the time). "What do you mean by 'Powers'?" I asked trying to remain calm. "Like a superhero? Am I Gonna become Spiderman? Because I HATE webs! There gross and take forever to clean. Ooh and then when you walk through them you feel them for hours even after they are no longer on you… DRIVES ME CRAZY"

"Selena... back to earth…" Mary said snapping her fingers in my face.

I shook off my web rant and brought my attention back to the issue at hand. "Ok so care to explain?" I said. I crossed my arms, (1) to look more forceful 2) if I heard something I didn't wanna hear, it would give Chrissy more time to stop me from strangling her. And she began her explanation.

"You know how the connection works correct?" she began, "How human minds are like radios. Everyone has their own 'station and frequency', 'Stations' that people cannot access usually. Well what happened when my 'DNA' entered your system it 'updated' some of your brain functions, like your brain 'frequency'. So now our brains and some of our emotional controls are running on the same frequency. Thus, giving us access to each other's thoughts, feelings, and memories. How we know when one is lying or scared…"

"Yes…" I said. Wondering what all this common knowledge had to do with anything.

"Well when all that happened. When my DNA entered and updated some functions. Your abilities functions received a GIANT update. Your abilities functions are what control everything you can do. From things as simple as breathing and talking, to more complex things like Musical ability and…sarcasm." She added jokingly.

I shot her a 'not the time' look. She continued. "Well when they updated your body began to undergo many changes. For example, you became very upset Back in May…"

"I'm pretty sure that it had something to do with you just getting up and leaving…" I interrupted again.

"That certainly didn't help matters out but was not the causes for the level of you're…to be honest depression…" I shot her look, she knew I hated that term for my…temporary state back then.

But I bit my lip and instead asked. "Can I please get the reader's digest version? All this drawn out explanation is really getting me anxious!"

Christiana raised her hand. "I'm just bored and would like to know what's going on before this thing cuts into my TV time!"

Mary sighed. "Very Well, long story short… you are developing new… for lack of a better term… 'Powers'…"

"Like what? I mean I already can snoop in your mind, communication with you whenever I want, what more could I possibly get?"

"I'm not exactly sure yet… This has never really happened before… But judging by the dinner we just had, I'm going to assume you can make things happen… We just don't know the extent of this…"

"What's the extent you can do it?" Christiana asked.

"Impossible to tell!" Mary replied proudly.

I rolled my eyes. "Snobby much?"

Mary sniffed then said: "Perfection is as Perfection does… what more can I say?" 

Chrissy and I rolled our eyes. "She should really see someone about her lack of confidence…" Chrissy muttered under her breath to me, I suppressed a giggle.

Mary ignored us. "So for the next little while expect strange occurrences and possible pain in your….mark…" she said awkwardly, unsure of the exact location of where it was.

**Thump**

We could hear the main hall door close, footsteps and muffled voiced filled the silence. Mary and I turned towards Chrissy. She looked at us curiously. "What?"

"Time to hop into bed Chrissy…" I said slyly.

She scrunched her brow. "What do you mean? It's only 6 o'clock!"

"Yes but if I remember correctly you were inflicted with sudden stomach pains and nausea!" Mary said to her. "Selena, Go make your sister look pale, I'll set up her bed."

"Yes Mary." I said and took Chrissy by the arm.

"But I don't want to!" She said annoyed as I dragged her out of the room.

"Too bad, not my problem sicko!" I said and pushed her into the bathroom and shut the door.

"Aw, my poor angel." Daddy said as he sat on the end of Chrissy's bed.

Mary, with the grace and rapidness of a Stunt Pilot, Thrust the Thermometer into Christiana's mouth, unlike everyone else who had ever used it, the thermometer didn't make Mary wait for the results and quickly sent the mercury up to the appropriate mark and Mary pulled it out and examined it. "Just as I thought, she has a fever." She said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, that's too bad." I said, repressing a laugh at the fact that we were all great pretenders.

Daddy looked over at her. "Should I call her school saying she'll be out for the day?"

I turned to Mary as she replied with a superior sniff. "No need for that! I'll have that fever gone by Breakfast tomorrow." With that she took the thermometer and shut it in her carpet bag.

Daddy stood up. "If you're sure…" he said uncertainly. "I'll bring you up a Gravol, Okay?" he said to Christiana. "Thank you ever so much Marianna." He said with sincerity. "I don't know what we would do without you."

Mary sniffed. "You're Welcome. Now it is late, I must now fight your eldest into bed."

I rolled my eyes. "Prepare to lose this battle!" I joked.

Mary shot me a look, and I felt myself slowly rise from where I was sitting and walk to the dresser.

Dad laughed, completely ignorant of the fact that I was moving against my will. "Very well. Good night girls. Oh and Selena, don't think you've escaped us talking about your behavior at dinner. I'll talk to you tomorrow, and expect you to apologize to Tamera next time you see her."

I rolled my eyes, "Yes father…"

Daddy closed the door and I turned to Mary. "I really hate you sometimes…" I said jokingly.

Mary shook her head with a smile and proceeded into her room to get changed.

'I' crawled into bed and turned off the lamp. "G'night Chrissy."

"Night Selena." She replied. "Good night Mary." She called out.

Mary entered the room and tucked Christiana into her bed and kissed her forehead and said goodnight to her.

"Goodnight Mary." I said as she smoothed my comforter and kissed the top of my own head.

"Goodnight girls."

With that the room fell dark and we all peacefully asleep, leaving all our troubles to rest for the night.


	15. The Part Tamera Sees Things

**~PART ONE~**

_**October**_

**Chapter Fourteen**

Now we skip ahead a week in the story because other than a few embarrassing incidents with trying to harness my new coming abilities, I was grounded for what happened at dinner. Although I didn't like it one bit, but I couldn't go on thinking it unjustly because I learned it HAD been after all that did those things… wither I meant to or not didn't matter. Mary had tried to get me off early, but foolishly did while Tamera was present and it didn't work out well in my favor. Tamera was still angry at me and made sure Daddy wouldn't lift it early.

The week after was the beginning of October, and I had begun practicing with the NYAM professionals at rehearsals. We held full day rehearsals on Saturdays which meant an awful lot of my time was taken up. The way it worked was like this: The first few rounds are Qualifiers. During this time a great number of the 1000 participants are eliminated and only the Judges Favorites made it on. After that there were a few rounds during the Officials. It went until there were 5 left and those went to finals, the finals were this giant live broadcasted event in March where they declare the winner and give the contract out.

With all the NYAM work going on I had not focused too much on the Mutant DNA growing inside me. Only thing I had noticed is that my skin was much clearer now and less pimply (and I'm not complaining about that. In fact since then I have never had to by and cleanser since or cover up! And most times I can leave my foundation off!)

One thing that HADNT escaped my focus was Tamera. Dad's new girlfriend. We were still angry with each other because of dinner. As far as I was concerned… actually I'm not going to finish that sentence because I know someone would disapprove of my… 'Choice of vocabulary'. Anyways, so when Jordyn came over for dinner after my rehearsal on Saturday, I wasn't exactly all sunshine and rainbows when it came to her.

I waited outside the theatre for about 5 minutes before Jordyn pulled up.

"Hey Selly!" She called out above the engine of her blue Sunfire. She unlocked the Side door and pushed it open. "Hop In!"

About 10 minutes we were cruising down Cherry-Tree Lane, pulling up in front of Number Seventeen. I climbed out and fumbled in my pocket for the key. We stood in front of the door, Jordyn waited patiently with a smirk. I was always forgetting where my key was and I began checking my bag and all other pockets as the October breeze filled the lane, blowing pink petals off the Cherry Trees in a swirling gust which made them dance in the air among the Brown, Orange, Red and Yellow Leaves everywhere, which filled the street as they were scattered everywhere along the lane from the Park.

Jordyn after a good 2 minutes then just knocked on the door. "Don't knock I'll have them in a moment."

"I sure you'll find them EVENTUALLY… but I don't have enough faith in you and you history with Keys to bother standing on your doorstep any longer." She teased as footsteps approached the other side of the door from inside the house.

I expected Mary or Grandmother Jane to open the door but instead I was welcomed by the smell of Chanel No. 5 and the sight of a light pink turtleneck which all belonged to Tamera.

"Oh… Hi…" I said simply and walked inside, Jordyn trailing quickly behind me. "Jordyn this is Tamera. Tamera, Jordyn." I said briskly, in a very Mary-like way as I hung my jacket up and put my shoes away, seeming to not pay her much attention in the slightest. "Do you know when my father will be home?" I asked her.

"About 5" she answered sharply.

"I see. Be sure to call us down when he arrives, until then we will be in the bedroom."

"You mean the nursery?" she said, almost snidely.

I narrowed my eyes into a very cold and Mary-ish fashion. The kind of look we get when were about to be scolded. "Make sure you give Grandmother a hand in the Kitchen. She mustn't do it all herself and I will be very angry to hear otherwise."

With that I turned with a snap and lead Jordyn up into the nursery. As the door shut, Jordyn gasped. "Holy Selena. That was incredible! You almost seemed to become Mary back there. The way you put her in her place like that, made her seem like a small child."

"It's one of the new benefits of having her DNA growing in me. But can you believe her? The way she spoke to me? It's expected from me, a teenager. But for her to speak to me like that a minor in my own house in which she is a guest… it's just awful. I hope dad ditches her like yesterday's crossword soon!"

"Wow Sel, I've never seen you with this much hatred and anger, Are you sure you're problem with her isn't about the fact that she's dating your dad?"

I pointed my finger at her. "No, you cannot go Dr. Phil on me! And no it's not that, my dad has dated before… even been married…" I cast a sideways glance at a photo of Wendy kept by Chrissy's bed. "It's not that at all. She and I just don't get along, because she is a bitch."

Jordyn laughed.

We ate at around 5:30pm, Dad came home and I felt positive that Tamera told him that I was being just awful to her for no reason. This was confirmed when I got scolded by him. Mary and Chrissy came back from Chrissy's Baseball game and Chrissy came up to change.

"Hey," she said as she entered the room. "Why is Tamera giving dad the 'poor me' routine? What did you do?"

"Nothing, she brought it on herself. I never said anything directly to her that was hurtful. She was the one being snide and rude."

"I find it hard to believe that YOU were COMPLETELY innocent in this matter!" Sniffed Mary as she entered the room.

"For your information, I was." I said matter-of-factly.

Jordyn confirmed this.

Mary raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's an improvement." She said. I rolled my eyes.

"Girls, Dinner." Came Grandmother's voice from downstairs.

"Ok." I called back. "Let's go."

As we entered the dinning room in our small four men procession, Daddy saw us and walked over. "Hello" he said to each of us in our own way. For me he hugged me and kissed the top of my head, For Chrissy, he picked her up in his arm and kissed her cheek,

For Jordyn (whose family always has been very close) he gave her a hug, and for Mary, it was a polite and almost awkward 'Good day'.

Jordyn smiled but tried to hide it. I turned to her and whispered. "What?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, don't worry about it."

I eyed her for a moment but let it go. Grandmother came over, and recruited Jordyn and I to help set the table with Tamera. I would have refused, if my father and Mary hadn't been present at the time to scold me, so we said 'of course'.

We walked in the kitchen, where Tamera was pulling out dishes. She heard the door open and saw us enter. She muttered something to herself and shut the cupboard. I rolled my eyes, "We were sent to help." I said as we picked up a pile of plates and headed out of the Kitchen and set the plates out. We headed back in, unknowingly that Tamera was carrying out some of the food in her hands.

The door swung open and knocked Tamera back; she struggled the clutch on to the tray as she crashed into the side of a dish cabinet. She fell on her butt but she still held the tray firmly. She let out a sigh of relief until, from its display stand on top of the cabinet, Grandmother Jane's antique heirloom Royal Doulton Bowl started to plummet to the hard kitchen floor.

With surprising speed I dashed across the floor and jumped, it was about to smash as I caught it in mid-fall. I clutched it to my chest and preformed a few somersaults before I was caught by the far wall.

THUMP

My legs seemed to be climbing up the walls, my back laid on the kitchen floor, with the Royal Doulton Bowl still clutched to my chest. I examined the bowl; it was still in pristine condition. Luck out.

My heart calmed down as Jordyn rushed over. "Oh my god, are you alright?"

"Yup!" I declared as I proudly held up the undamaged bowl over my head like a trophy.

"Wow that was amazing. I have never seen anyone care about a dish so much!" Jordyn said.

"If only you knew…" I looked at the bowl's picture. Two children playing, with trees behind them. I knew what lay beyond the trees, I knew the story well. I knew that a cottage was beyond those trees where there was a family which consisted of an old man and his many grandchildren. I knew that they had a paint box which held Chinese white, the one colour my Grandmother's paint box hadn't been equipped with. I also was one of the few who knew that if you looked in the right hand bottom corner of the picture you would see a scarf, and on that scarf was embroidery, embroidered with the initials M.P.

I Climbed up and placed the bowl back in its place. Tamera still was in the room. Holding the tray looking in awe. "Why is she looking at me like that?" I said.

"Well when you did that… epic dive, before you went into somersault, you glided across the floor… like MARY glide… Hovering a bit above the ground…" She whispered.

Shit.

"Bowls safe." I said in her general direction, as if nothing had happened. I felt pain in my left leg, I must had twisted it during my incredible stunt.

I limped over to grab some glasses and headed out of the room, but we were stopped by Mary, Jeffery and Grandmother Jane. "What happened? We heard crashes." Grandmother said to us.

"We had a minor accident but all is well, everything is safe." I said limping over to them.

Tamera still seemed to be in shock of what she saw; I knew if I played it right though, I'd be ok.

Mary stepped in front of her. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she just is recovering from the scare she had when she thought she was going to lose dinner." I lied quickly.

Mary saw threw my lie and knew what happened.

Jeffery looked over the room and saw that there was no destruction and seemed relived. "Well if that's all. Let's eat."

We nodded and headed out, and I noticed in Mary's step there was a bit of a limp. It would have been fine, if Tamera hadn't noticed that too.

Only…

I didn't know that at the time.


	16. The Birthday Part 1

**~PART ONE~**

_**October**_

**Chapter Fifteen: Birth Days (Part 1)**

_(Note for those unfamiliar with Greek mythology, Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon and stars. The name Selene, in its modern Americanized form Selena was bestowed on her almost 16 years ago when she was born on Midnight [exactly] on one of Mary's full moon parties. Some of you may remember from earlier stories Mary had fled the party early and came into her mother's room when everyone else had left. Years ago on the full moon before were a magical night that really put the staple in the friendship and closeness Abigail [Selena's mother] and Mary, so Abigail named her accordingly.)_

It was the last week of October, Monday morning we were all sitting at breakfast before we went our separate way for the days, when Grandmother came in carrying her gardens of the world calendar and a sharpie pen.

"Morning Grandmother" I said as she sat down at the head of the table.

"Good morning, now I was writing in Christiana's baseball dates on the calendar, anything else you all wish to be put down."

"I have a dinner for work on Thursday at 6:30am" Daddy said over his paper.

Grandmother scribbled that down. "Anything else?"

"Are my rehearsals down already?" I asked.

"Yes, right here." She said. She then examined the calendar carefully, as if something was missing. She then flipped the page over to November and back again.

"Hey, who did this? It says birthday on two days but no name." she said and passed it to me and Chrissy. She showed us the 31st of October and then flipped the page to November and pointed at the 1st. Each date on it said 'Birthday'.

I shrugged. "It wasn't me."

Chrissy nodded. "I'm 8; I can't even reach the calendar!"

Daddy shook his head. "Wasn't me…"

"Well then… whose birthday is on those days?" Grandmother asked thoroughly confused. "Who has a birthday on both the 31st and the 1st?" she asked.

Daddy and Christianna suddenly looked at each other, remembering something they shouldn't have forgotten as both Mary and me rose our hands into the air saying in unison. "I do."

They all looked at us, we looked at each other. I had forgotten that we shared it. I remembered the story of Mary and my mother in the hospital the night I was born. I remembered how I was named after her full moon birthdays (which were a rare event that occurred both the year my mother graduated university and the year I was born). Both born on the same day(s).

"Uh-oh…" Christianna mumbled to herself, as my father braced himself for the 'discussion' that would follow.

"Oh… that's right…" Grandmother said, remembering this fact that she'd been aware of, but never really clued into until now.

"Oh yeah, your birthday is Friday…" Daddy said in a voice, which tried to cover up the fact he had forgotten, but it was as easily noticed as a GI-Joe in a Barbie collection. "Your…" he blanked, trying to remember how old I was turning. If it was anything or anybody else, I'd have been really angry at this point, but I cut him some slack because my father has NEVER been good with dates and ages.

"16th…"

"…16th birthday. Her 16th birthday, right!" he said trying to save his pride, turning to Mary to remove the pressure from him, asking. "And Marianna, you are…"

Everyone was silent.

Christianna, Grandmother and I gazing intently and curiously, father just desperately. He had asked the question nobody else dared. If only, if only he had known, if only we had told him, (Which was now out of the question, since Jordyn found out from Ashley we've had a strict, direct blood relations only, ruling out father and Milo being Simons', not Banks'). If that wasn't the case we MAY have gotten the answer, instead her blue eyes became fierce, as if insulted (This was very easy to do).

Mary peered at him with those icy blues, as if about to scolding him viciously. He looked apologetic (although it was clear that he was unsure what he had done wrong.) Mary's expression softened when they made eye-contact. She let out a sigh and in her most Mary Poppins-ish voice stated frankly "Ask no questions, and be told no lies!"

With that, she got up from the table. Daddy looked at me very confused. Everyone waited for me to speak. I huffed, pretending to be snappish, and spoke matter-of-factly to him. "Women HATE being asked their age. It's rude and too personal. You should be ashamed!" I said and quickly walked away before anyone could ask questions.

I met Mary upstairs. "Thanks for leaving me in the line of fire there!" I said as I went to load my schoolbag.

Mary was examining her reflection intently, mental noting how incredible she believed she looked that day. "Well, what do you suggest I do?" she asked. "I couldn't answer that question honestly."

"You could have just said 29, you know the age you seem to at least appearance wise be stuck at! Dad would have bought 29, nobody would have questioned 29! PL Travers herself said she 'believed Mary Poppins was to be around 29'"

"Don't mention you dare mention those books or that author to me!" she snapped at the mention of the person who had written and fictionalized her life, causing her to go into 'hiding'. "Besides, once you set an age for yourself it can become too risky. Say in 7 years I'm with Christianna, I should be 36, still looking like 29. Once you're thirty you tend to age faster, and one can only pull off 29 for so long without people being curious."

"Please, my dad is too terrified of you to question that… Also, it's not Travers' fault. She heard stories about this woman and built off of that. It's what writers do! Take something that already exists, tweak it and twist it to make it their own!"

"No, that's what Fan Fiction writers do!" Jordyn said, as she entered the room.

"How did you get in here?" Mary asked.

"Chrissy let me in downstairs, came to give you a ride" she said to me. "Anyways, that's Fan Fiction writers. They do that stuff…"

I did a pretend shudder. "Ooh, just the SOUND of that and it makes me squirm!" I said.

"Why what's wrong with them?" Mary asked me with an arched brow.

"Usually, I don't care… but Ashley and I stumbled upon some stuff when we were… researching…"

Jordyn smiled. "Oh yeah, I heard about that…"

We both looked at Mary and shuddered. "Ooh… disturbing!"

Mary looked at us.

"You can't un-see things, you can't undo actions… sadly… you can't unread things either…" I told her as I zipped up my bag. My watched beeped. "Damn, we better hurry… were gonna be late."

"Oh, Chrissy!" Mary said as we all made a mad dash to the door.

On the way down the stairs we remembered the whole Birthday issue again. "Ooh, when I get home we'll figure out this birthday stuff!"

"Agreed."

Mary and I spent a good deal of the day in silent conversation to each other, trying to figure out how on earth we would celebrate the birthdays properly. I barely got any school work done as I was too busy having mental debates with Mary as she did her daily errands. By the time I got home we had nothing accomplished.

Only one thing had been agreed upon, we both were completely unreasonable.

We both were celebrating very big birthdays, I was turning 16 and Mary was… well to be honest I don't know how old she was, only that she was over double digits, and any age over 99 is a big birthday. (As it is a miracle you're still kicking!). Things worsened in our debates when it was remembered that Friday was a full moon. This raised the stakes a little more.

Christianna found it humorous that the once strong team that always has been able to do things together, was being brought down by selfishness and pettiness, uncooperativeness had brought us down. "This is just sad, you both are pathetic!" She said at around 5 o'clock had rolled by and nothing was figured out. Jordyn who had come by to practice agreed with her

Downstairs Father and Grandmother were figuring things out as well, only they seemed to be having more success. So we eventually left it to them. We (Chrissy, Jordyn and I) listened to their conversation through the vent in the hall that led to Living room.

"So here's my plan Jane." I heard father's voice echo through the shaft. "On the thirty first we shall have a special dinner for one of them. Then they'll have a party for both and we can have it set up in some mock New Years way. One will have cake and presents 10 minutes before midnight, the other ten minutes after. Then on the first we'll have dinner for the other."

"You do realize that its two days where they get to do nothing." Grandmother pointed out. "In this house if it's your birthday you are excused from errands and chores."

"It does seem a bit unfair, but what can you do when you're born at midnight?"

Grandmother Jane must have agreed, "And who do you plan to have their celebration first? Selena or Marianna?"

"I was hoping you would have the answer to that. Both will want to go first, but they both can't or it'll be first night all over again."

"First night?" I heard grandmother ask.

"Yes, the very first night Marianna came to the house, Selena tried everything to sabotage her. Well, she tried to convince NYC Police that Marianna wasn't her nanny but a child predator and have her arrested. Later on, and I still to this day am unsure how it was accomplished, but they doused her in Boiling hot water, followed by freezing cold water, followed by glue and odds and ends from Christiana's craft box."

Grandmother Jane and Jordyn upstairs found this hysterical, both laughing longer than they should have because they were in on the secret my father knew not of. Mary came into the hallway and started to scold us for spying. "Shut up!" I whispered harshly as I pulled her down to our level and we gathered around the grate. Mary sniffed and looked very unhappy that I told her to shut up but she remained silent, I knew I would hear about it later.

"Well I guess there's only one solution." Grandmother said seriously to daddy.

"Huh?" he said. "And what is that?"

"Which one are you more afraid of?" she declared. "Your daughter or your daughter's nanny?"

"…And then ten minutes after midnight they'll give the other one their gifts and such and they'll have a dinner that day." I finished briefing Mary back in the nursery.

"And they haven't decided who goes first?" Mary asked.

"No." I replied

Mary thought it over. "It seems to be a pretty good plan, there's just one hitch that nobody thought about."

"And what's that?" I asked sitting next to her on the foot of my bed.

Mary turned to me and said. "Friday is a full moon, remember?"

"Oh damn it I forgot again." I said. "What are we gonna do? We can't change things without them wondering why were leaving in the middle of the night to go to zoo. And I've been waiting since New York to meet your cousin."

"I know, it's such a shame." Mary agreed.

"Bummer." Chrissy piped in.

"Well, no use moping about it. We can't change what cannot be changed."

"Hmmm…" I said suddenly, the wheels in my head turning. "Maybe we can…"

"What do you mean?" Mary asked me, getting curious.

"Well, remember, the first one of us will have their festivities about 10 minutes before midnight right? And the second one is 10 minutes after. That gives us 20 minutes…"

"Congratulations, you know math!" Mary said mockingly.

I ignored her and went on, "No think about it, I can set the clocks forward by 5 minutes and then we can quickly move the first round of cake and gifts along. Then when its Really 10 minutes to midnight, me, you, Chrissy, Grandmother and Jordyn all find a way to 'disappear' from the crowd. You use a little hocus pocus and were at the zoo, we'll celebrate there for 20 minutes then come back, for the second half, about 40 minutes to and hour someone fakes sick. We send everyone home and go to bed, only we don't go to bed and we sneak out to finish the party at the zoo, as long as were home before anyone notices we'll never be caught!"

Everyone stared blankly at me. As if in shock that I came up with that. "What? Oh, come on guys do you honestly forget who I am? You are looking at the mastermind behind 'Operation Scary Mary' um, the one who was notorious for sneaking out and… oh come on guys, and do you forget what I used to be like? Have I changed that much? I'm still the same back talking, scheme pulling, self serving bitch I was back in New York!" I declared proudly.

Mary looked at me sympathetically (yet sarcastically) and patted me on the shoulder, "Of course you are Selena."

"Hey! I Am!" I declared defensively.

"Sure."

Now I was really offended. "I am and I will prove it. Just you watch this plan will work perfectly. You just see!"

Friday night rolled around in what seemed like no time at all, we had fine tuned our master plan that people still seemed to have some doubts about. They had decided that I would have my dinner tonight, but Mary would have her gifts and cake first. For dinner we had roast chicken for dinner. Milo and his parents joined us for dinner, afterwards Jordyn came by after dinner and we headed upstairs to put our costumes on. Jordyn and I had spent all week working on my very own custom made Fairy wings for my "Halloween bash" as it's been referred to by my friends. Milo was decorating downstairs in his Mad Hatter costume with my Little Mermaid sister, My Queen Grandmother and Cowboy father, Jordyn and I were putting the finishing touches on our costumes, Jordyn was a princess and I was (as I stated earlier) a fairy.

Mary had helped with most of the costume while Jordyn and I gathered the accessories, make up, and our amazing wings. The dress went a little below my knee, and the fabric seemed to have been made out of magic itself. The colours blue, purple, with a pink hue and silver sparkle all blended to make the most beautiful dress materialize in front of my very eyes.

Jordyn helped me pull the beautiful dress over my head, she picked up the glittery wings and I slid my arms into their straps. I looked myself over in the mirror, it was perfect. I did my makeup and hair as Jordyn put her cowgirl costume on. Her hair was braided and for a girlish effect I gave her a quick ducting with my pixie glitter. My short red hair was pinned mostly with a few small ponytails popping out in appropriate places. I was all glittered up and Jordyn slipped her boots on. We examined ourselves one last time in the mirror.

"We look good!" she said. She held out her camera. "Smile!" she snapped a quick photo of us all costumed-up and we headed downstairs.

The downstairs had been transformed into the most kickass party hall I had ever seen in my life, and it was also tasteful enough for Mary too. Everyone had done an amazing job.

"Oh my god! You guys are amazing, look at this place!" I exclaimed as I looked around, and gave Chrissy a high-five.

Milo smiled proudly. "I am glad you approve birthday girl."

"You guys are awesome, Love you forever! Thank you!" I said as I gave my cousin a hug.

Milo hugged me back and showed me more of what they'd done. We headed into the kitchen where the food was finishing its preparation. Grandmother, Mary and father were getting ready to place everything out in the hall. "Yum, this looks delicious! You all have really outdone yourselves! Only I don't approve of my fellow Birthday girl working, she should be upstairs with us getting ready."

Mary rolled her eyes. Grandmother shook her head "I agree with you, but she won't listen to us." she explained. "She's as stubborn as you are!"

Mary's eyes widened with insult, it was my turn to roll my eyes and I grabbed onto Mary's arm. "C'mon super nanny, time to get ready; it's just as much your party as it is mine, so come on!"

I dragged her through the hall and up the stairs as she protested my actions. "Selena it's not necessary. Really… besides, I don't wish to dress up!"

I closed the nursery door and marched the two of us into her room. "Oh no, you are going to 'dress up' wither you like it or not." I said as I began to rummage through her carpet bag. I placed it on the table next to her umbrella.

"What are you doing?" she said. "Get out of there!" as she reached for it, but I waved her off and continued to dig through it. "Selena!"

_SHE SAID 'GET OUT!'_

"Ow!" I cried as something sharp closed in on my hand which was resting on the handle. I pulled my hand back quickly and looked it over, my finger had an open wound which was now gushing Niagara (or at least felt like it). On the surrounding area of the cut was bite marks, bitemarks which matched the ones on my chest surrounding my mark.


End file.
